Jack Wilshere Insists He 'Never Gave Up' on Return to England Squad Despite Injury Woes

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has insisted that he 'never gave up' on a return to the England setup after Gareth Southgate announced his name in the squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy. 

The last time Wilshere played for England was in their bitter 2-1 defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016. Despite the length of his absence from the squad, Wilshere says he was still confident of gaining another England call-up. 

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Wilshere commented on his recall to the national team, saying: "It's always an honour to play for my country - I've said that many times.

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"I never gave up hope - I believed in myself and I believed in my ability. It was just about getting games in the Premier League, as the manager said."

When asked whether he ever doubted his international future, Wilshere insisted: "No I wouldn't say that. As I said, I always believed in myself.

"There was always that little bit of hope that I'd get back in there. I put the pressure on earlier in the season and the manager made it clear what he wanted me to do.

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"I've done that and it's down to me to repay him and prove to everyone I can still perform at that level."

Since coming back from a loan spell at Bournemouth last season, Wilshere has been providing confident performances for Arsene Wenger's side. He now has 31 appearances under his belt, contributing two goals and three assists. 

He will now look to impress on the international stage in order to secure a place at the World Cup, with his next potential game coming away against the Netherlands.