With the Emirates lineup being confirmed and matching the one we reported on last week, many people expected to see Nicklas Bendtner return to Arsenal with Wolfsburg.

It seems like that may not be a foregone conclusion.

The Dane, who left Arsenal last summer for the Bundesliga side, is being encouraged to find a new club by his advisor after failing to secure a first-team starting spot.

Bendtner has scored just five goals in 28 appearances in all competitions this season, playing a total of 913 minutes (five starts). Four of those goals came in the Europa League with only one coming in the league.

Speaking about his future, the sporting director of Wolfsburg, Klaus Allofs, was hardly definitive regarding Bendtner remaining with the club.

“There will be discussions, but not necessarily a farewell. That Nicklas is not happy with this situation, is clear. But he has to live with that,” Allofs told the media in Germany.

“The true Nicklas you might see only when he is allowed to play more often. The preconditions for this is what he shows in training.”

Now 27, Bendtner’s career has stalled in a way few imagined when he first burst onto the scene at Arsenal as a 17-year-old.

Believing he was greater than he was and showing more interest in off-field antics than working to improve himself, Bendtner seems set to be yet another talented player who simply threw it all away.