#4 Jack Wilshere
The professional career of Jack Wilshere started when he was a mere 16-year-old with Arsenal. Since making his Premier League debut in 2008 against Blackburn, the central midfielder has only played 105 times in the top flight for Arsene Wenger’s side – a huge disappointment given that when he broke into the side he seemed to be a young man with the world at his feet.
Some would point to his lifestyle choices as a reason for his failure to yet realise his potential – he has been involved in several off-field controversies – yet there is little doubt that injuries have played a massive role.
Since suffering a sprained ankle in July 2011, he has been kept out on eight different occasions for more than 50 days in succession. The worst of these was a hairline crack in his calfbone that saw him miss much of the 2015-16 season – an injury that he is currently battling following a promising loan spell at Bournemouth.
Only the most optimistic, however, expect to see him become the classy midfield general that was once promised.
