Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has reiterated his desire to sign Jack Wilshere on a permanent basis at the end of the season.
Wilshere is currently on loan at the Cherries from Arsenal and has made 24 Premier League appearances for the club - his most active season since the 2012-13 campaign.
The 25-year-old has lost his place in the team during Bournemouth's recent upturn in form, starting the last four games on the bench, but Howe is still eager to keep the England international at the club beyond the summer.
"I've always said, 'We love Jack, we would love to sign him'. But that decision will rest with Arsenal, with Jack, with other people - it's out of our hands. And Jack may well see his future elsewhere. He did say as soon as he came to us that he'd totally commit to us for the season, and then in the summer sort out of his future," he told reporters.
"There's so many variables, there's so many things that can change, it's not the right time. We've got to concentrate on results and the games we've got coming up. Jack obviously wouldn't want to start from the bench, he'd want to be playing, but since the Manchester United game - he felt his ankle against Manchester City - the team's done very well, and it's very difficult to take either centre-forward out.
"What he has done when he's come on is showed he's got a great attitude; he's trained so well, and that's reflected when he's come on the pitch, he's been outstanding. He really was the defining factor in us gaining total control [against Southampton]. We've got real competition in that position. It's probably the area of the team where I've got an array of options.
"You've seen Harry Arter come off the bench: he's been outstanding for us this season. You've got Jack; Dan Gosling's done very well for us in recent weeks. [Wilshere's] been an outstanding professional. And I can't speak highly enough of him, as a player and as a person. If you look at Jack's season overall, there's massive, massive positives. He's played so many games, a lot of 90 minutes: this is just a little spell where he's been out of the team but he's still coming on to great effect. Overall he's stayed fit: it has to be a huge positive for him, this season."
Wilshere could return to the starting lineup for Wednesday's match against Liverpool at Anfield after Andrew Surman suffered a knee injury during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Southampton.
Barney Corkhill
