After having regularly played in front of 60,000 fans, Jack Wilshere will have a new experience when turning out in front of less than 12,000 supporters at the Vitality Stadium. The English midfielder joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan deal. The primary aim behind Wilshere’s move is to help the player rediscover his confidence and fitness. Of course, this is not the first time the player is moving out on loan; he has already spent a season on loan at Bolton but this scenario is completely different.
Wilshere is at crossroads in his career and he could face an exit from Arsenal if he fails to fulfill his talent. For all the potential within the Englishman, he has been hit with numerous on and off the field issues. Failure to control his temperament and avoid smoking have brought him bad PR, but the biggest concern of them all is his injury troubles. Wilshere has made just 160 appearances in all competitions in the last nine seasons with Arsenal, thus translating into a mere 17 appearances per campaign.
Any club that would be concerned about having such an injury prone player in the squad even if he is as talented as Wilshere. However, the same talent could be of major help to Bournemouth. The club needs to stay in the Premier League in order to continue their ascendancy. Even though sponsors like Mansion Group, owner of the online casino platform Casino.com, helped them gain financial stability, it is not enough for them to just rely on sponsors. They may have done extremely well in the first Premier League campaign, but they are expected to struggle in the second season just like many other newly promoted teams. Compared with some of the other Premier League outfits, Bournemouth have spent a paltry €18 million on new players this summer.
The lack of quality is evident at the start of the campaign, as the club are without a win after three league matches. Scoring goals already look like the biggest problem for Eddie Howe’s men. Wilshere may not be an out and out goalscorer, but he brings that added level of quality that can change games in an instant. This may be through a quick give-and-go or a long pass to find Callum Wilson.
The TV money from the Premier League will be a huge boost for any club. After having not experienced the real threat of relegation last season, Bournemouth could be in for a long season but the presence of Wilshere could just help them out.