Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is apparently confident that a deal will be struck with midfielder Jack Wilshere before the end of the campaign.
The England international has just five months remaining on his existing deal, and talks are deemed to be ongoing since the back-end of December.
Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ north London derby versus Tottenham Hotspur, Wenger spoke positively about the ongoing negotiations with Wilshere.
He added to express his intention to keep hold of the academy graduate, and he is positive of committing him to a long-term deal, similarly to Mesut Ozil earlier last month.
Aaron Ramsey was also a topic of discussion during the pre-match press conference, but Wenger suggested that the Welshman’s future could be sorted out at a later date with his contract only due to expire in June 2019.
“I’m positive because I want Jack to stay. I do the maximum I can to make him happy. With Jack it is now. With Aaron, if we lose two weeks or three weeks, it doesn’t matter much,” he is quoted as saying by The Mail.
Wilshere is presently on a weekly package of around £100,000, and it is reported that he may have to a decent pay-cut in order to push through a fresh extension with the north London side.
Nevertheless, his proposed £80,000-a-week extension is heavily incentivised with his appearances and performances during the period, set to compensate for his salary reduction.
Wilshere only came on as a substitute during the 5-1 thumping of Everton last weekend, but he could potentially get the nod to feature in midfield during tomorrow’s north London derby versus Spurs.
