Leeds United's Championship promotion rivals in 'advanced talks' with ex-Arsenal man as arrival imminent
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Norwich City are reportedly in ‘advanced discussions’ to add Jack Wilshere to their coaching staff, with the former Arsenal midfielder set to join head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup’s backroom team.
Wilshere retired from playing two years ago, calling time on a career which has been plagued by injury. The 32-year-old quickly made the move into coaching and has enjoyed early success with Arsenal’s Under-18s, leading his young Gunners to the FA Youth Cup final during his first season in charge.
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Hide AdThat early achievement looks to have caught the eye of Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper, who has links to Arsenal having worked there as loans manager before moving to Carrow Road. And LondonWorld now report that talks are advancing over his appointment as a coach with the Canaries.
They claim a deal has already been ‘agreed in principle’ for the former Arsenal midfielder to join up with Thorup’s coaching staff in Norfolk, with an official announcement expected soon. The Guardian add that club chiefs at the Emirates have given their ‘blessing’ for Wilshere to make the step up, with negotiations around a compensation fee expected to progress smoothly.
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Those in charge at Carrow Road will hope Wilshere’s presence will provide a major boost to their Championship promotion hopes, with the 34-capped England international boasting bags of experience at the top level of football, having played 197 times for Arsenal. The Canaries currently sit seventh in the table on 15 points, with a trip to Stoke City next up on Saturday.
It will be a while before Leeds come up against Norwich again, having returned from Carrow Road with a hard-fought 1-1 draw earlier this month. Largie Ramazani cancelled out Josh Sargent’s first-half penalty that evening, although the result was overshadowed by a serious knee injury for midfielder Ilia Gruev.
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Hide AdLeeds welcome Norwich, and likely Wilshere, to Elland Road at the end of January with both likely to be battling for promotion right up until May. And the incoming coach will hope to prove decisive in helping his new side, having earned early praise from experienced manager and former teammate Mikel Arteta.
“It is clear in his mind what he wants to do and the reasons why he wants to do it,” Arteta said of Wilshere last year. “I think he has done really well, he has brought something that was very necessary in the academy and around the place. These things are going to happen when people are doing well. You are going to get attraction, and then it will come down to him to make what he believes is the best decision for his career.”