A player who actually deserves a new deal at the Emirates

From being the most talented rookie in the Arsenal academy to a midfield mainstay for club and country, 19-year-old Jack Wilshere has come a long way in the past 12 months.

Despite signing a new contract last November that took him into the 40k per week category, so impressed is the Arsenal board with his development that they have offered him a pay rise of 10k per week, as part of a contract that will tie him to the club until 2016.

To be honest, if anyone (you know who I am pointing fingers at) deserves a pay rise in this Arsenal squad, it is this young lad.

He is probably the only first-team regular with an Arsenal DNA. When I first saw this announcement, it was amusing to know the likes of Diaby, Squillaci and Almunia were earning almost the same amount as Arsenal’s best player last season!

So it is about time the board decided to pay their key players more money than players who really should even be at the club.

When Arsenal started pre-season last year, everyone was aware of a youngster called Jack Wilshere, but were probably only expecting him to start a few games from the bench during the following season. I certainly was thinking so until I saw him during the Emirates Cup. I was really impressed with his natural ability and it seems so was Wenger. It was plain to see that this youngster was ready for the big stage even though he was only 18, and it wasn’t a surprise to anyone when he was in the starting line up as Arsenal kicked off their season at Anfield last August.

Having joined the club at the age of 10, Wilshere has come through the youth and reserve ranks of our club and is actually the first true home grown talent to come out of Arsenal’s academy in the past few years. Developed to play for Arsenal, it was natural that he had the passing, vision and off the ball movement which are integral parts of our style of football.

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