Ray Parlour has questioned whether Jack Wilshere is still capable of competing at the top level on a regular basis.
The West Ham midfielder has made just six appearances in for West Ham this season due to an ankle injury, but did manage a five minute cameo in the 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
Parlour is sceptical about whether or not the England international has a future at the club after his injury crises.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday morning, he said: “It’s been a really frustrating season for him again. Everyone thought, ‘well, he’s gone to West Ham and he can really establish himself in that midfield area’.
“People are saying if he plays well he can knock on the door again for the England squad, but it’s been an absolute disaster for him again. Him and Andy Carroll are the ones who are always in that treatment room.
“But he’ll be happy that he is back involved because it’s so frustrating when you’re out for long periods of time. The big worry now is what does his future hold?
“Can he play on a regular basis? Can his body handle the Premier League? The pace of it and it looks like he can’t at the moment.”
OPINION
Sadly, you worry that Parlour might be right on this one. Wilshere is a class act, undoubtedly, but he is no good to anyone in the treatment room, and increasingly he looks as if he is destined to while away his career there. He may have made his comeback on Saturday, but there have been false dawns before, and even if he is fit and available from now until the end of next season, you have to wonder whether the legacy of his constant injury spells have had an effect on him mentally. You really wouldn’t blame Wilshere if he was slightly restrained by the constant prospect of aggravating an old niggle, and if he is playing at half speed, you have to wonder whether he would be an effective enough option to convince Manuel Pellegrini to keep faith in him.