Jamie Redknapp says Jack Wilshere deserves credit if the midfielder instigated his loan move to Bournemouth from Arsenal.
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It’s believed that the South Coast club paid Arsenal £2m for the loan of Wilshere, while also meeting his £80,000-a-week wage packet.
Wilshere made his debut for the Gunners in 2008, becoming the club’s youngest league player aged 16 and 256 days.
After confirming they had beaten Crystal Palace and Roma to the services of the 24-year-old late on transfer deadline day, Wilshere took part in his first training session with the Cherries on Thursday morning.
However, Wilshere has been very unfortunate with injuries in recent seasons and, although he returned to fitness in time for Euro 2016, he has yet to start for Arsenal this season and was left out of the England squad on Sunday by new manager Sam Allardyce.
“Hopefully Benik spoke positively about us, well, I’m sure he did!”
Wilshere became Bournemouth’s eighth summer signing and Howe said the player could prove to be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
“He’s a high-profile name, somebody who is regarded as the very best in his position, and that can only help the players that we have here try and raise their game to new levels, that’s all in our thinking”, said Howe.
“We had a good talk about football, about Bournemouth the place and the football club, thankfully he chose us”.
But the Cherries succeeded in signing the midfielder, who hopes to revive his club and global career after missing out on Sam Allardyce’s first England squad.
“But I think he loves playing football even more, and this move should be good for him”.
“It is one that can work for both sides”.
Keown said, “This one really caught me by surprise and I can’t help but feel there is an element of sadness to the situation”.
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He said: “Last year was hard for me both on and off the field but the time I was injured helped me to step back and reflect”.
