JACK WILSHERE is in talks with Arsenal over a return as coach, according to reports.
The North Londoners have vacancies to fill with their Under-23s and Under-18s sides.
Bosses Kevin Betsy and Dan Micciche both left for Crawley Town earlier this month, with Arsenal on the lookout for replacements.
According to the Standard, Wilshere has held discussions with academy manager and former team-mate Per Mertesacker regarding the positions.
Arsenal are assessing their options, with a number of internal candidates also in the frame.
Wilshere, 30, spent the second half of last season playing for Aarhus.
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He made 14 appearances for the Danish club and is now a free agent again.
Prior to his stint at Aarhus, Wilshere trained with the Gunners – also working with some of their academy players.
Quizzed about hanging up his boots last month, he said: “I think I would love to go back to Arsenal and coach, once I have fully made that decision.
“That decision might be in a week. It might be in two years.
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“If I don’t get a club to play for, before pre-season or halfway through pre-season, I am not going to go to Arsenal to keep my fitness up, because then I would feel that I am holding onto something that is not there. With a coaching role, maybe. We will see.
“When I went back to Arsenal I was coaching every day with the under-18s and 23s, I loved every minute of it. I really enjoyed being back on the pitch and coaching.”
On the ambition behind his eventual move into coaching, he added: “I didn’t ever reach my full potential as a player — and everyone knows that.
“I don’t think I will ever accept it until I’ve reached that as a coach. It’s a difficult thing to accept and that’s why I still have a big, burning desire in me to be successful in the game.
“I just feel like there’s something still in me that wants to get to a high level. And that probably won’t ever be as a player again.
“So if I can do that as a coach, why not?”
