Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger wants Jack Wilshere to spend his entire career with the Gunners, despite loaning the England international to Bournemouth for the season.

The midfielder has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, making just 10 Premier League starts over the last two seasons, while he only made two brief substitute appearances for the north London club at the start of the current campaign.

Wilshere’s first-team opportunities at the Emirates had been hampered further following the January arrival of Mohamed Elneny and the signing of Granit Xhaka this summer, and Wenger believes it was best for everyone for the 24-year-old to move to Bournemouth to gain regular first-team football.

“We had a chat together and he himself was concerned that he would not get enough competition early enough,” Wenger told reporters.

“He feels ready to play, and I couldn’t guarantee that. “We thought it was a decision that looked logical to give him time to come back to a competitive level.

At some stage you need competition.” Wenger believes the temporary switch will benefit Wilshere in the long-term, as he wants the ‘world-class player’ to remain with the Gunners for the rest of his career.

He added: “I hope personally that [Wilshere] stays his whole career here. Jack is a world-class player.

He doesn’t have to show me he has the quality to play at Bournemouth, he just needs to be back at a competitive level.”

Arsenal are next in action when they play host to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday and they are available at 1.57 to win the match, while the Saints are priced at 6.00 and the draw is on offer 4.20.