Arsenal are reportedly confident that Jack Wilshere will come around and sign the £90kpw deal that is on the table as a lack of interest from other clubs shows him his true value.

If you believe reports in the papers over the last few weeks, Everton have thrown a massive £8m signing-on fee into the ether to try and tempt Wilshere to move north to team up with Theo Walcott once again.

Perhaps Everton have designs on moving all of Arsenal’s British core to Merseyside.

Juventus are also said to be interested in Wilshere. A mighty club, for sure. If Juventus want him, then wouldn’t Arsenal be mad to let him leave?

Probably. Just ask Wojciech Szczesny.

If the latest reports are true, however, then stories that have been filling the papers about interest in Wilshere is more agent talk than reality.

Similarly, this latest rumour smells like Arsenal letting Jack’s agent know they know what he’s up to.

Whatever the truth, Arsenal have made Jack an offer that requires him to take a paycut.

Wilshere doesn’t want to sign it and his contract is up in June.

Those facts seem undisputed.

If Jack is hoping that his performances between now and the end of the season will show the club that he is worth more, then he will need to step up considerably from the level he showed against Stoke on Sunday.

Like the rest of the team, Jack was relatively poor and uninspired, despite being given the captain’s armband.

Wenger says he’s not trying to bribe Jack with the armband but it seems clear he really is.

It’s this season’s ‘playing Theo through the middle’.