Jack Wilshere says having children has given him the extra motivation to succeed and return from injury as quickly as possible.
The England midfielder has been sidelined since the end of pre-season after undergoing surgery on a a hairline fracture to his left fibula.
However, the injury has allowed Wilshere to spend more time with his children, and the 23-year-old revealed their influence at this difficult time.
“It does help,” he told the Arsenal Weekly podcast. “You’re working longer days when you’re injured than when you’re fit but when you go home, get in the door, and they tell you they’ve missed you it does make it all worth it.
“It makes you grow up a lot. I can’t remember much of my life before I had kids but what I do remember is playing football, going home, playing on the Playstation and doing anything I wanted.
“It’s strange because I was out for a year when I had Archie and then when I finally came back he was running around and playing football himself. It does make you grow up and want to go out on the pitch to do them proud.
“It makes you grow up as a person and put other people first. There’s nothing more important than your kids.”
Listen to the full interview on the latest Arsenal Weekly podcast and never miss an episode by subscribing on iTunes.
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