Soccer

Wilshere to be fully fit for the World Cup

The 22-year-old from Arsenal makes his return ahead of the FA Cup final with Norwich

Ardenal’s Jack Wilshere should be fully fit to take part in the World Cup. Photograph: Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Ardenal’s Jack Wilshere should be fully fit to take part in the World Cup. Photograph: Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Wed May 14 2014 - 11:29

Jack Wilshere should just have enough time to be fully-fit for the World Cup, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

This has been another stop-start season for the 22-year-old, with injuries restricting the midfielder to just 19 starts in the Barclays Premier League. Wilshere made a further five appearances from the bench, including his second-half appearance in Sunday’s season finale at Norwich — his first match since breaking his foot nine weeks earlier.

His return is a welcome boost for Arsenal ahead of their FA Cup final appearance against Hull this weekend, although Wenger was coy when asked whether he was fit to start.

However, the Gunners boss was more forthcoming when it came to Wilshere’s World Cup chances after the midfielder was named in England’s 23-man squad on Monday.

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“How has he been this week? Good, he works hard,” Wenger said. “We have a hard session today again and he progresses. He played 30 minutes at Norwich, that was planned, he came out well.

“I think if you ask me about the World Cup, he should just have enough time to be fully fit.”

The other Arsenal player called up by England this week was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 20-year-old has not featured since Arsenal’s 3-0 win at Hull on April 20 due to a groin that will need assessing before they take on the Tigers at Wembley.

“Everybody should be available who played in our last game at Norwich,” Wenger said. “There’s still some uncertainty about Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thomas Vermaelen, who was out for the last minute with five stitches in his knee. “We’ll know more about that tomorrow or Friday.”