Former Gunner, Paul Merson, believes that Jack Wilshere has to leave Arsenal if he wants to get regular first team football.

Merson reckons that Jack needs to leave north London for pastures new if he’s going to have any hope of playing regular football again.

“I think he has to leave anyway,” Merson, who made 327 appearances for Arsenal, told talkSPORT’s Drive show.

“I think come January he must sit on that bench and look at that midfield and think ‘how do I not play in this team?’

“For me he has to leave and if he leaves he’s got to go somewhere he’s going to play.”

The 25-year-old is yet to make a single Premier League start this term and his four substitute appearances so far total just 65 minutes. Although the midfielder has done well during the majority of our Europa League matches, we all know that Jack wants to get into that Premier League starting XI.

This is obviously a feat Merson doesn’t believe the Englishman can achieve while he’s a Gunner.

Jack’s Arsenal contract has just six months left until it expires and it’s unclear whether he’ll be staying. Wenger wants him to and the player doesn’t wish to leave. However, if the boss can’t offer him a regular starting position in the league, Jack might decide to start anew somewhere else for the sake of his career.

On the other hand, Jack’s a fighter. He’s spent 1013 days sidelined through injury since November in 2009 and bounced back from every single one. He says himself he wants to be an Arsenal legend. Perhaps he’ll choose to stay and battle for a first team spot regardless of his lack of game time so far…

Speaking recently, Wenger confirmed that Jack is on the verge of that elusive first team Premier League start.

Leaving in January would, therefore, seem the stupidest of all decisions here.