Wilshere promoted to first-team / Traore signs new contract

Youngster Jack Wilshere has been promoted to the Arsenal first-team after impressing in the club's pre-season campaigns.

The promotion has excited Arsenal fans, who were told by manager Arsène Wenger last season that there were two 16-year-olds in the club's Academy who had the technical ability to play in the first-team.

Wilshere was strongly thought to be one of those two and that was confirmed yesterday when the boy from London was given the vacated number 19 shirt.

Wilshere joined Arsenal as a nine year-old in October 2001. Last season he scored 13 times in 19 Under-18 league outings and also netted twice from two reserve team starts, all while still a schoolboy.

Meanwhile, Frenchman Armand Traore has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

Traore is thought to be the club's second-choice left-back, and has deputised for Gaël Clichy in the past.

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User Comments

abraham david

Posted on 6 Aug, 2008 at 12:58 PM - Reply

He's a player i like so much. At his age he plays good football, that's wonderful. Wenger should just give him the opportunity he needs to become one of the best because i believe he can be better than messi.

Bichwa

Posted on 6 Aug, 2008 at 08:48 AM - Reply

The press should respect Wil and let him free from their unnecessary pressure on his talent.

Dani

Posted on 6 Aug, 2008 at 08:25 AM - Reply

Hope this doesn’t go to his head and he knuckles down like cessc did in his first season good look to him. Hope the boss doesn’t buy any more think there are other kids that need to be given a chance like song for the holding posistion.

arsenal-fan-001

Posted on 6 Aug, 2008 at 06:27 AM - Reply

he is very talented and a young player.......arsene wenger can give tips to him and he can even be better in the future....

hansele

Posted on 6 Aug, 2008 at 03:49 AM - Reply

we need experience too!!

adeniyi

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 07:45 PM - Reply

the sky is not the limit for Wilshere.he is greatly talented.look at him against Stuttgart.he really impresssed me.i look forward to more of that Wilshere.

David

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 05:14 PM - Reply

This young boy reminds me of Scholes in his early years, and he is definitely better than the other English players at his age. I thought he was French or Spanish before knowing his name when i first saw him play. He will have a better future than the likes of Pennant, Bentley for sure. All he has to do is to build up his physical part of the game and gain maybe some inches if possible.

Billy

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 02:47 PM - Reply

Don't get too excited Gooners, we have to be a bit wary when a young English talent breaks into the first team set up....

S. Hughes, Upson, Pennant, Bentley...just a few who we thought would make it at the Arsenal but were sold on.

Granted the last 3 have gone on to do well at the top of our game, I just hope young Jack is given a few oppotunities but also is protected, we do not want this young talent drying up, or worse, end up being loaned to every tom dick and harry before he ends up signing for a mid rate Prem team because he has fallen off Wenger's radar.

Good luck jack, but Arsenal fans give him ALOT of time

dexter

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 01:29 PM - Reply

so who is the other technically gifted 16 year old??

BB Gooner

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 01:21 PM - Reply

He is a real talent and brave. I hope he doesn't fall behind.

sulazu

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 01:12 PM - Reply

Interesting to have Wilshere in the first team. He clearly show guts and character in the pre-season games, which is something of rearity considering he's 16 and also English. Wenger should however protect him from the English media hype so he could
realize his potentials without undue pressure. He's surely going to be Premier league's version of Lionel Messi.

Bilbo the Gooner

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 01:06 PM - Reply

Saw Jack play against Juventus on Saturday. He played very well indeed. He just needs to settle in and take his chances when he gets them. He did play better than Ramsey and Nasri but they are both bedding into Wengerball and it was their home debuts - you can't expect too much. I don't think we need worry about Jack unless he picks up a case of Hlebitis and stops shooting when he gets a good chance.

yatin

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 12:52 PM - Reply

hope this guy doesnt go pennant way...he should go fabregas way what say ?

Gooner Get Ya

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 11:12 AM - Reply

Excellent news, i think young Jack is just what our club needs...a naturally talented left sided english player who in my opinion outshone both Walcott and Nasri in the pre-season games.

biffany

Posted on 5 Aug, 2008 at 10:09 AM - Reply

wilts is the man , pure soldier, future england star

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