New Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is reportedly keen to sign Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere when the transfer window opens in January.

Wilshere is in the final year of his contract with the Gunners, and according to the Daily Mail, Hodgson sees this as an opportunity to pick up a player he rates highly and has worked with before with England.

The report points out that only five players were selected for England matches more than Wilshere by Hodgson, despite his injury problems. If the midfielder doesn’t have that same sort of importance in the Arsenal squad, then Palace would be able to offer him that, I feel.

The 25-year-old hasn’t yet played a match for Arsenal’s senior side since returning from loan spell at Bournemouth due to his leg fracture, but is set to feature tonight in the Europa League. The England international played for the Arsenal u23s this season, but I feel now he’s hoping to reclaim a starting place with the first-team.

Hopefully Wilshere can bring some fight to the side, without losing control as badly as he did against Manchester City for the reserves. Arsenal’s defeat to Liverpool showed the team at its worst, in my opinion, with players refusing to put in more than the minimum effort.

If Wilshere can bring some passion and drive back to proceedings, the team could benefit from it for me. If he can’t, then a move starts to seem more likely.