Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce discusses interest in Arsenal's Jack Wilshere

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has admitted he is keen to sign Arsenal's Jack Wilshere before the end of the transfer window but is not sure if the Villans are "capable of landing" the midfielder, who has just one year left on his deal with the Gunners.

Wilshere, 25, is currently building up his fitness after suffering a broken leg while on loan at Bournemouth last season. His road to recovery has not been without its hiccups - he was sent off for the Gunners Under-23s against Manchester City on Monday night (21 August).

Aston Villa were reportedly interested in a loan deal for the Arsenal academy graduate earlier this summer and Bruce hinted that the Midlands outfit would try and explore that possibility due to the lack of funds available to him.

"The Jack Wilshere one – hey, who wouldn't want Jack Wilshere? But I don't know whether we're capable of landing him and let's not forget he's only 25," Bruce told talkSPORT.

"People have said that I've got millions and million to spend, where it's been the complete opposite. With financial fair play, unfortunately we haven't got millions and millions to spend so I've got to be a little bit prudent, see what we can do and try and balance the books.

"In that respect it's been a very difficult summer, but an enjoyable one. I think the vast majority of supporters understand that. If they think I'm going to breeze in just before last Christmas and turn it around within six months, that ain't gonna happen.

"But thankfully we're starting to have the makings of a very decent squad, so I'm very confident of where we sit at the minute and very confident we'll make a fist of it."

Bruce has already pilfered a number of players from a host of Premier League clubs this summer: John Terry, Ahmed El Mohamady, Glenn Whelan, Joshua Onomah, Sam Johnstone and Robert Snodgrass have all been recruited from English top-flight sides either permanently or on loan.

Arsenal's Wilshere could well be the next to drop down a division, although Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has not ruled out the possibility of handing the England international a new contract, providing he can play himself back into his best form. Newcastle United, West Ham United and Sampdoria have all been credited with an interest in Wilshere, who is valued at £20m by Arsenal.

"If he [Wilshere] gets back to his best and wants to stay, we have to sit down, I think, later in the season. I don't rule that out," Wenger said in his press conference.