‘I’m feeling good but I won’t rush it’

Jack Wilshere says he is working as hard as he can in his rehabilitation but “won’t rush” his return from injury.

The England midfielder has not featured for Arsenal this campaign after he suffered a hairline fracture to his left fibula at the end of pre-season.

It has been a testing time for Wilshere, who had been in fine form for club and country, but the 23-year-old insists he will remain patient as he seeks to get back to full fitness.

“It’s going well,” he told Arsenal Player. “I’m working as hard as I can to try to come back. I know what it takes because unfortunately I’ve been injured a few times in my career and I know what it takes to come back. I’m not going to rush it. I’ll make sure my body’s right and at the moment I’m feeling good.

“Mentally this one has been the toughest to take because I had a big injury last year, came back, got myself fit, back in good form, played for England. Then I cut my holiday short for two weeks and came in to try to get myself right for this season.

“I thought, ‘This season I need to be fit for the whole season and go into the Euros with a whole season behind me’. Unfortunately on the last day of pre-season I got injured so it was probably the toughest one for me to take.”

Wilshere has not had to go through rehabilitation alone, and the midfielder revealed how much he has benefitted from the support of team-mates Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky.

“We all know it’s difficult and just being around other people helps,” he said. “At the moment it’s me, Danny and Tomas because we’re the only ones with long-term injuries. Just being around other people, speaking to them and having a bit of banter with them helps as well.

“We’re still early in the season and the busiest part of the season is coming up. I want to be part of this team and I proved last season that I can get back and fight for a place. I know it’s not going to be easy but that’s what I want to do.”