JINXED Jack Wilshere is likely to miss Arsenal’s pre-season tour to Australia and China while he recovers from his latest injury.
The England midfielder is still working his way back to fitness after suffering a hairline fracture of his left fibia in April.
He will be assessed by the club’s medical staff when he returns for the start of pre-season training next Monday.
But he will not be made to fly to the other side of the world unless he has a realistic chance of participating in any of the four friendly games in Sydney and Beijing.
Wilshere, 25, is currently at the crossroads of his career as he considers his long-term prospects.
He has just one year remaining on his £80,000-a-week contract and has not even opened talks with Arsenal over a new deal.
The club are eventually expected to offer him terms on similar pay to prevent him from leaving as a free agent next year.
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But Wilshere will not rush into any agreement and could wait until the New Year before deciding on his future.
Arsene Wenger had hoped that Wilshere’s season on loan at Bournemouth would allow him to regain his form and fitness before returning to Arsenal this summer revitalised.
But the player struggled to impress on the South coast before suffering his latest setback in a challenge with Tottenham’s Harry Kane 11 weeks ago.
Now there are genuine concerns as to whether Wilshere will ever be completely injury-free after missing more than three years of football over the past six years.
He has started just three games for Arsenal since November 2014 and is once again struggling to be ready for the opening game of the new season against Leicester in August.
A number of interested clubs including West Ham and Crystal Palace are monitoring his situation but no-one will bid for him during this transfer window until his fitness has been established.
Fans’ favourite Wilshere believes that he can still be a key player for Arsenal but does not want to commit himself to a new deal if he only going to be a squad player.
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