Arsenal have held talks with Hale End academy graduate Jack Wilshere regarding a potential coaching role if recent reports are to be believed.
The north London outfit lost U23s manager Kevin Betsy and U18s boss, Dan Micciche, to Crawley Town this summer and Evening Standard have now reported that Wilshere has recently spoken to academy manager Per Mertesacker regarding the vacant positions.
However, Arsenal are said to be considering internal candidates, with several of the club's current staff reportedly held in high regard. The former England international is yet to officially hang up his boots, having played for Danish side Aarhus earlier this year but he has made it no secret of his desire to get into coaching one day.
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“I didn’t ever reach my full potential as a player — and everyone knows that,” he said back in May. “I don’t think I will ever accept it until I’ve reached that as a coach.
"It’s a difficult thing to accept and that’s why I still have a big, burning desire in me to be successful in the game. I just feel like there’s something still in me that wants to get to a high level.
"And that probably won’t ever be as a player again. So if I can do that as a coach, why not?”
Wilshere spent some time last season training with Mikel Arteta's first team at the club's London Colney training complex and some supporters were even convinced that the Gunners could sign the Hale End academy graduate on a short-term deal, something Arteta admitted wasn't going to happen. When asked back in Janaru whether the 30-year-old was good enough to still play in the Premier League, the Spaniard said: “Yes, 100 per cent! I have seen that, I can tell that he has [the ability to do so].”
However, when he was quizzed on the prospect of that happening at Arsenal, Arteta replied: “That’s a different story!”
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