Wenger to have a word with Wilshire on Smoking

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger wants to speak to Jack Wilshere after the England midfielder  attracted negative headlines this week – and believes the coming season could be pivotal if the player is to reach his full potential.

Wilshere was criticised by his manager last season after he was pictured smoking a cigarette outside a nightclub and, in the aftermath, pledged it would not happen again.

But the 22-year-old was photographed smoking again this week while on holiday, and Wenger, while not overly concerned, wants to find out what exactly happened. “I haven’t spoken to him so it’s very difficult for me to make any statement,” said the manager. “I know what you can make of pictures – I have to speak to him really to see what happened before I come out publicly.

“I’m not deeply concerned by it. I just want to know what happened and before I know what happened, I don’t want to talk too much about it.”