Arsenal: Jack Wilshere wants central midfield role on permanent basis for England and Arsenal

Jack Wilshere has made it clear to Arsene Wenger that he will not accept being asked to play on the wings for Arsenal after the French manager deployed him on the right flank on a few occasions last season. The English midfielder only made three appearances this campaign of which all were in his preferred central midfield position.

The Gunners star has insisted that he cannot play on the wings, and is glad that England manager Roy Hodgson has faith in him to deploy him through the middle for the Three Lions. The 24-year-old was deployed as a deep lying midfielder during his country's Euro 2016 qualifying games and excelled in that position winning three man-of-the-match awards as they went unbeaten to top their group.

However, Wilshere was deployed in a more advanced role in his first appearance for England this year during their recent 2-1 friendly win over Turkey, and the midfielder admitted that he also enjoyed playing higher up the pitch as long as it is not on the wings.

"With Arsenal I've been playing out wide, which is not me. I'm not a wide man but Roy seems to have faith in me in the middle, so I'm happy with that. I like to play anywhere in the middle," Wilshere said, as quoted by the Guardian.

"I played the holding role before and I really enjoy that and this time I was a bit higher up the pitch and I enjoyed that as well. I've worked with Roy now and his staff for a number of years and they know what I bring and I know what they want from me as well," he added.

The Arsenal midfielder was in danger of missing out on a place in the England squad for the upcoming European Championship finals in France after he suffered a fracture, which he sustained during training in August last year.

The midfielder returned to training eight weeks before the end of the season and proved his fitness to both Wenger and Hodgson, which saw him play for Arsenal albeit for three games, before being selected in the Three Lions manager's provisional 26-man squad.

Wilshere is confident that with further game time he will get fitter and with England to play two more friendlies before the start of the tournament, it gives him plenty of time to sharpen his skills.

"You always have those days when you are in the gym where you think you're not going to get back but the thing that kept me going was I know what it takes to get back and I always had time on my side so I was confident," he said. "I remember my first training session back, which was eight weeks ago, and ever since then I've just been trying to work, get better and get fitter each day," the Arsenal midfielder explained.

"The most important thing for me now is to get games and to get that match sharpness. I know what it's like coming back from injury and with every game I'll feel better."