Arsene Wenger Was Sacked, Wilshere Says, Also Reveals Truth Behind Arsenal Exit

Jack Wilshere claimed Arsene Wenger was sacked by Arsenal rather than what was communicated at the time that it was a mutual decision made by the club and the former Gunners boss.

The former Gunners midfielder, who left the club prior to the start of the current campaign also indicated his exit from his boyhood club was connected to the Frenchman.

Wenger revealed he was stepping down as the manager of Arsenal in April after 22 years at the helm and the decision came as a shock to everyone connected to club — the players and supporters.

At the time the statement from the club and manager indicated it was a mutual decision, while there was doubt he was forced out after failing to deliver consistent results in recent years. Arsenal finished sixth and failed to win a trophy, and Wilshere has now revealed it was the board’s decision to bring about change and ask Wenger to leave despite the French manager holding another year in his contract.

Wilshere left the club on a free transfer in the summer after deciding not to sign the contract extension on offer, which was also the result of the midfielder fighting his way back into the first-team after spending most of recent seasons sidelined by injury. The midfielder, who spent 17 years at Arsenal, was keen to remain a Gunner, but admitted everything changed after Wenger was “sacked.”

Unai Emery, who took over from the Frenchman, was open to Wilshere remaining at the club, but was not willing to guarantee him regular playing time. The 26-year-old is keen to play regular football and get back into reckoning for the England squad and decided it was the right time to cut his ties with the team, he has supported and played for since he was nine years old.

"I was in the last year of my contract, and I spoke with the manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, and he said that they won't be offering me a new deal and that I could leave,” Wilshere said, as per the Mirror. “But at the time I was injured and it was difficult, because I wasn't fit and I wasn't playing, and not many teams wanted me injured.”

"So I decided to stay and I got back into the team and they finally offered me a deal in January which was ready to sign, and then Arsene got sacked,” he added. "It was strange, everyone was just shocked and Per Mertesacker, the captain, said a few words, and I think everyone was just in shock.”

"It was strange. No-one really saw it coming, but it changed everything, and I wanted to wait to speak to the new manager. And I did, and he was brilliant, he was honest with me. … He said you can stay, but you won't be in my starting XI, so I thought it was the right time to finally leave,” Wilshere explained.