Jack Wilshere will miss the start of the season – and looks certain to miss the first two games of England’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Arsenal star has been hailed as the man to give England the creative style lacking in the Euro 2012 finals.
But he missed all of last season due to an ankle problem and will now not be fit until the middle of September.
Wilshere has been put on a 12-week rehabilitation course after a double op – one to rectify his long-term ankle problem and Arsenal used the chance to sort out a knee tendon injury.
Now, he looks like missing England’s World Cup qualifiers with Moldova on September 7 and the home game against Ukraine four days later.
The news comes just a day after Gareth Southgate bemoaned the pressure that was being heaped on Wilshere's shoulders.
Southgate, is expected to be named the FA's new technical director next month, said: "I feel we're pinning so much on Jack Wilshere. What we want to be able to say is that there are five or six, not just Jack.
"Spain would have had Javi Martinez or Thiago Alcantara, for example.
"The expectation - everybody talking about Jack - is putting a lot a lot of pressure on him. I would say that.
"In every era it's one, isn't it? For the last five years it was Wayne Rooney. Now it's Jack.
"Top countries have five or six [of that class, not one], they churn them out.
"Brazil is unique because of the size of the population, but other countries - Spain, Germany, Holland - develop far more players."
Source : Mirror.co.uk
