Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, is confident Jack Wilshere will be “just polished” in time to boost England’s Fifa World Cup hopes as the midfielder steps up his rehabilitation from injury.
Wilshere has been sidelined since suffering a hairline fracture in his foot while playing for the Three Lions in the 1-0 win over Denmark at Wembley on March 5.
The combative 22 year old is on schedule to be available next month, just in time for the FA Cup final against Hull on May 17, before attentions turn to Roy Hodgson’s final plans for Brazil.
“He is starting to jog this week. I would think two to three weeks,” Wenger said.
“I spoke to Roy Hodgson and I told him that Wilshere will be available for England. He will be just polished for England.
“Jack can be the positive surprise.”
Wenger added: “England has a very difficult group and it is a double problem, but it can be a double chance also because if you come out of a group like that then the belief is really strong.
“But first they have to deal well with the situation, they have Italy and Uruguay in the group and they have to get out of it.”
Wilshere has endured several injury setbacks since breaking into the Arsenal first team as the club’s youngest league debutant at the age of 16 years and 256 days when coming on against Blackburn at Ewood Park in September 2008.
Wenger feels Wilshere has become a stronger personality for the whole experience.
“It is the most difficult thing in the world to deal with. You need to be competitive which is to always been in competition,” Wenger said.
“Jack has been in and out this year, but I think they have sorted out the problem now. I hope from now on he will always be available.”
Wenger added: “Jack is a football man. He is the kind of guy who if you speak to him about anything, he has a natural football understanding.
“He watches the game and he analyses very well what is going on, and on that front he has learnt when he has been injured, from watching the games and from the problems you can face in the game.”
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