ARSENE WENGER insists now is not the time to decide whether Jack Wilshere should play for England at the European Under-21s Championship next summer.
The wonderkid, 20, has been continuing his comeback in the club’s Under-21 team in the last few weeks after 14 months out with an ankle injury.
Stuart Pearce wants to take Wilshere with the England U-21s squad to the finals in Israel next summer.
But Wenger believes the midfielder should focus on making his senior return for his club.
The Frenchman said: “It’s a bit premature. Let’s wait until Jack comes back. He has not played for 14 months.
“He works very hard and is doing well but let’s not go too far.”
Wilshere’s agent Simon Bayliff today revealed he had travelled with the Arsenal squad for the match with Norwich on Saturday evening.
But Wenger was more cautious, adding: “He needs one more game, maybe on Monday night for the U21s, then he will be back.”
When asked whether Wilshere would be afraid of going into challenges after his injury, Wenger replied: “There is no apprehension. He is 80 per cent match fit.”
Wilshere’s England colleague Theo Walcott — who is still yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners — will miss Arsenal’s clash with Norwich this weekend after his injury picked up with England.
Walcott claimed he felt like he had been “hit by a bus” when he suffered a bruised lung in the World Cup qualifier against San Marino last week.
Wenger said: “Walcott is out because of the lung problem. His injury is progressing well and there’s a chance he could be back next week against QPR.
“The challenge on him was scary. He said it felt like a lorry had hit him.”
One player Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has earmarked as a future England player is Gunners right-back Carl Jenkinson.
The ex-Charlton full-back has been making great strides this season at the Emirates but Wenger believes a national call-up could be a bit too soon.
Wenger said: “He’s developed extremely well. I like the way he sees things. England is a bit early for him.”
Laurent Koscielny will also miss Saturday’s trip to the Canaries.
Source: The Sun
