Arsenal Star's Future Looking Bleak as Club Continue to Hold Off on Opening New Contract Talks

Jack Wilshere's 16-year spell at Arsenal is on the cusp of coming to an end after reports claimed that he was not in line for a new contract.

The midfielder will enter the last six months of his deal at the Emirates at the turn of the year, and has expressed a desire to stay with the club he has become associated with.

The Daily Mail, however, has reported that the Gunners have not entered discussions over extending Wilshere's stay in north London and seem prepared to let him leave in January for a small fee.

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Wilshere bagged his first senior goal for Arsenal since May 2015 in the Europa League victory over BATE Borisov on Thursday as he continued to stake a claim for a starting berth in the team.

The 25-year-old is a firm fan favourite among Arsenal supporters, but their budding relationship may not last much longer if the club forego offering the playmaker fresh terms.

Arsene Wenger has stated that he wants Wilshere's situation to be resolved by the end of the month, and it appears that his future is looking more likely to lie away from Arsenal with no contract talks in the offing.

The Premier League giants have handed new deals to Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck as the pair enter the last 12 months of their contracts - factors that have led to more fans speculating that Wilshere won't stick around in the capital for much longer.

Despite Arsenal's wish to sell him on, Wilshere could dig his heels in to see out the remainder of his £100,000-a-week deal and leave on a free in the summer.

Doing so would almost certainly cost him a place on the plane as part of England's squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia due to a lack of regular game time, so a six-month loan could be a compromise between him and Arsenal.

West Ham and Crystal Palace harbour ambitions of signing Wilshere permanently next July, but it remains to be seen whether they could coax the Gunners into loaning him out an signing him for nothing is six months' time.