Jack Wilshere 'may well see his future elsewhere,' admits Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe

The Bournemouth manager said he would love to sign Wilshere on a permanent basis but that this might not be possible

Wilshere's future at the Vitality Stadium remains unclear (Getty)

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has conceded that Jack Wilshere ‘may well leave the club this summer’.

The 25-year-old joined the Cherries on loan from Arsenal last summer and has gone on to make 24 Premier League appearances for the side after enduring a number of injury-plagued seasons at the Emirates.

Wilshere has been left out of Howe’s starting line-up for the side’s last four consecutive matches, however, after the Bournemouth manager introduced a 4-4-2 formation which meant the No 10 position which the 25-year-old initially occupied is now no longer available.

Although Howe insists he is still eager to secure Wilshere’s signature on a long-term basis, he admitted that the club may struggle to hold on to the midfielder.

"I have always said, 'We love Jack, we would love to sign him'," the Bournemouth manager said.

"But that decision will rest with Arsenal, with Jack, with other people. It is out of our hands and Jack may well see his future elsewhere.

"He did say as soon as he came to us that he would totally commit to us for the season and then in the summer sort out his future.”

Howe also explained his reasoning behind the decision to bench Wilshere, insisting that the Arsenal player’s current substitute status was no reflection of his performances.

"Jack obviously wouldn't want to start from the bench, he would want to be playing, but since the Manchester United game - he felt his ankle against Manchester City - the team has done very well and it is very difficult to take either centre-forward out,” he explained.

"We have got real competition in that position. You have seen Harry Arter come off the bench – he has been outstanding for us this season – you have got Jack and Dan Gosling's done very well for us in recent weeks.

Jack Wilshere could be on his way out of Bournemouth, admits Howe (Getty)

"What he has done when he has come on is showed he has got a great attitude; he has trained so well and that has reflected when he has come on the pitch. He has been outstanding, he really was the defining factor in us gaining total control [against Southampton].

"If you look at Jack's season overall, there is massive, massive positives. He has played so many games, a lot of 90 minutes - this is just a little spell where he has been out of the team but he is still coming on to great effect. Overall he has stayed fit.

"There's so many variables, there's so many things that can change, it is not the right time [to concentrate on his future]."