The midfielder signed a three-year deal worth £100,000-a-week at the London Stadium
Jack Wilshere’s decision to swap Arsenal for West Ham United is ‘appalling’ and detrimental to his career.
That’s according to talkSPORT’s very own Adrian Durham, who slammed the midfielder for choosing to sign for the Hammers on a free transfer.
After 17 years with the Gunners, new boss Unai Emery informed the midfielder he was no longer guaranteed regular game time.
Despite being linked with moves across Europe to sides such as AC Milan and Fenerbahce, Wilshere opted to sign for the club he supported as a boy.
However Durham blasted the midfielder for picking the ‘nice’ option and labelled his decision the ‘early stages of retirement’.
“The last thing he needs is nice, he needs to challenge himself,” he said.
“Just do something a little bit different! It’s the comfort zone, living in London like that’s a good thing – it’s not.
“Challenge yourself!
“There’s no expectation to do anything there, the Ox [Oxlade-Chamberlain] goes to Liverpool where people are saying he won’t get a game, people are saying he’s not good enough for them and, but for injury, he’d be in this England team and he may well have played in a Champions League Final.
“And who knows, they might have done a bit better in that final as well – he really has proved himself in a short space of time.
“Jack Wilshere basically, it’s the early stages of retirement going to West Ham, I think it’s an appalling move.”
After featuring 38 times during Arsene Wenger’s final season in charge at the Emirates, Wilshere believed he had done enough to secure a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.
However, the Three Lions are now preparing to face Croatia in a World Cup semi-final and it’s fair to say the midfielder has not been missed.
At 26, there is still time of course to force his way back into the England set-up.
However, Durham slammed the decision to move to east London, insisting the move does little to help his dwindling international chances.
He added: “I’m not having West Ham helping him in his career, it is just him picking a club that is close to home and there is nothing that is going to challenge him or change anything about this at all.
“He’s in this comfort zone, he’s been in it at Arsenal for years, and he’s now in it at West Ham.
“He had a big cry and a moan up when he wasn’t in the England squad, when he didn’t deserve to be in the England squad so I don’t see how this changes anything in Wilshere’s career.
“I think it’s appalling really.”
