West Ham in Talks to Release Jack Wilshere
West Ham are reportedly in talks with Jack Wilshere to terminate the midfielder's contract early, as the Irons look to free up space on their wage bill for new signings.
Wilshere joined the club on a free transfer back in 2018, but injuries have restricted him to a minor role in the squad, and he made just eight appearances last season - two of which coming from the bench post-lockdown.
Previous reports on the club's plans for the 28-year-old have conflicted. In March, it was claimed that the club weren't yet considering offloading him, yet last month, The Times reported the exact opposite - that they want him gone so badly they are prepared to top up his wages for his first year with a new team.
Multiple outlets are now substantiating the latter assertion, as widespread reports which came to light around 10pm on Thursday claim that negotiations are underway to terminate the final year of his contract and allow him to seek a free transfer.
It's said that clearing room on the wage bill is the priority for West Ham, who want to create some wiggle room for manager David Moyes. According to Spotrac, their £51m annual bill is the 10th highest in the Premier League, and dwarves the likes of Wolves (£28m), Brighton (£23m), Newcastle (£22m), and Burnley (£17m) - all of whom finished above them in the division last season.
On more than £5m per year, Wilshere is their second highest earner, so releasing him would undoubtedly create space to add to the squad. The permanent acquisition of Tomas Soucek is their only signing of the window so far, with the league season kicking off this weekend.
The vibe from Wilshere seems to suggest the feeling is mutual. Speaking to Stadium Astro (per The Mail) he said: "It hasn't worked out for me, I'll be honest. It hasn't gone the way I wanted it to, I've missed too much football, I haven't played enough games.
"I want to get back on track, get my career back on track, get playing games week-in, week-out and start to feel like a footballer again."