Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has told Jack Wilshere to forget about playing at Euro 2016 and simply concentrate on getting fit and returning for the Gunners.
The England international has not played a single game this season because of a fractured fibula, but encouragingly began running again this week, according to The Sun.
The Sun reports that Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has been in contact with Arsene Wenger to discuss Wilshere’s condition ahead of this summer’s tournament in France.
Wilshere played a key role in England’s perfect qualifying campaign and is likely to be included in the squad if he can prove his fitness between now and the end of the season.
But Arsenal Invincible Parlour has insisted that the Euros should be the last thing on Wilshere’s mind, and that the 24-year-old firstly needs a run of games for the Gunners.
Parlour told talkSPORT radio, via The Sun: “That’s the main thing for Jack. Don’t be worried about the Euros, it’s all about getting fit and getting into the Arsenal team.
“At the moment he has to sort his body out and getting himself fit and right.
“He can then start getting a couple of games under his belt and build on trying to keep his body fit – that’s been his problem over the last two or three seasons.
“He’s had that spell of games where he has played well then he gets that massive setback and is out for a long spell of time. We all know he is a great player when he is playing on a regular basis.”
Wilshere has 28 caps for England and scored his first international goals – both crackers – in June’s 3-2 win in Slovenia – his last appearance for either club or country.
A succession of injury problems have limited him to only 79 Premier League starts in six seasons at Arsenal – 31 of which came back in his breakthrough 2010-2011 campaign.
And the emergence of the likes Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Ross Barkley means that Hodgson has enough midfield options that he does not have to gamble on Wilshere’s fitness.