Jack Wilshere breaks silence on Arsenal exit as former midfielder agrees to leave under-18s role to become assistant manager at Norwich

Jack Wilshere is set to leave Arsenal as the former Gunners midfielder has agreed to join the coaching team at Championship side Norwich.

Wilshere, 32, has been Arsenal’s under-18s coach since 2022, but admitted he was delighted to be joining manager Johannes Hoff Thorup’s staff to help the Norfolk side achieve promotion.

The former midfielder believes the move will help advance his coaching career.

Arsenal and Norwich have agreed a compensation package for Wilshere and the former England international is expected to join his new team at Carrow Road this Thursday.

It is believed that the deal was initiated by Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper, who previously worked at Arsenal.

Arsenal U-18 head coach Jack Wilshere will leave the club to join Norwich.

Wilshere, 32, will join Norwich’s first-team coaching staff

A move to Norwich is something Wilshere believes will help further his coaching career.

According to the Standard, Norwich manager Thorup believes bringing in talent of Wilshere’s caliber will create more “interest” and “excitement” at the club.

Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk: “We need to make sure there are people in the building who will be of interest to other clubs.”

He added: “We’re going to create something special: an environment, a culture and a way of playing that is exciting, so people want to be here.”

“And people from the outside are looking at the people here, and it’s a good connection because it creates some interest and some excitement, and that’s what we want.”

Wilshere was in talks with MLS club Colorado Rapids to become their manager in October last year but decided to remain in north London at Arsenal.

The former midfielder played for the Arsenal first team from 2008 to 2018.

Wilshere retired from professional football two years ago at the age of 30, having last played in the Danish Super League for AFG.

He signed a professional contract with Arsenal in 2008 and then worked for West Ham and Bournemouth after leaving the north London club in 2018.

He took up his current role with Arsenal’s Under-18s in July 2022, leading the youth team to the FA Youth Cup final in his first season as coach.

Wilshere is a popular and respected member of the Emirates coaching staff and is a natural figure in the club’s youth structure, having gone through this himself when he signed for the club in 2001 as a nine-year-old.