Wenger hopeful of Wilshere return

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful Jack Wilshere will return to the first-team fold within the next month.

The England international had surgery on an ankle injury in September and then suffered a stress fracture in his right foot during recovery.

“Jack can be back within a month if all goes well,” Wenger told reporters. “The recovery of his latest problems looks very good. The latest scan was very positive.”

“We go cautiously step by step because we tried to push him back quicker in the first instance and he had a setback. So this time we have to be cautious and not go too quick.”

“He can be back before then end of the season, of course.”

Wenger’s team are preparing for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with AC Milan on Wednesday.

Arsenal head into the match on the back of a 2-1 Premier League win over Sunderland, and Wenger is targeting a strong start from his men at the San Siro.

“It is a game which, for me, is a real 50/50 where it is very important for us that we have a positive attitude in the first game,” Wenger said.

“I believe they will start strong and it is important at the start of the game how much we win our fights in every area of the field.”

“It will be very important not to let them on top of us but the way we need to start strong will be very important to us.”