LATEST NEWS: Jack Wilshere, the Arsenal U18 manager, has accepted a position on the coaching staff at Norwich City.
Arsenal Under-18 manager Jack Wilshere has reportedly agreed to take on a first-team coaching role with Championship club Norwich City.
Wilshere, now 32, became head coach of Arsenal’s Under-18 team in the summer of 2022, shortly after retiring from professional football. During his time in the role, he guided Arsenal to the final of the 2022/23 FA Youth Cup, earning significant praise for his work with the club’s youth players.
According to The Pink Un, Arsenal will now need to find Wilshere’s replacement, as negotiations over his move to Norwich are at an advanced stage. The vacancy at Norwich arose when Narcis Pelach left his position as a first-team coach to manage Stoke City. Wilshere was identified as Norwich’s top choice to replace Pelach.
Reports indicate that a compensation package between Arsenal and Norwich is being finalized, with an official announcement of Wilshere’s appointment expected soon. A key factor in his decision to join Norwich is his strong relationship with Ben Knapper, the club’s sporting director, which dates back to their time together at Arsenal.
Norwich had also interviewed Danish coach Fatah Abdirahman and another unnamed overseas candidate before focusing their attention on Wilshere. It is said that Wilshere’s detailed approach and eagerness to embrace the challenge made him stand out from the other contenders.
Earlier this year, Wilshere had applied to become Aberdeen’s manager, but the Scottish club ultimately chose Jimmy Thelin for the role. He had also held talks with MLS side Colorado Rapids about a coaching position.
Norwich’s manager, Johannes Hoff Thorup, recently provided an update, reassuring fans that the club was nearing an agreement with their preferred candidate. “We are getting closer. I think we can say we are close to finding the candidate we want,” Thorup said at a press conference.
He added that while there was still work to do in terms of discussions between clubs and agents, he expected an announcement soon, though it might not be in time for Norwich’s upcoming game against Stoke City. A more realistic timeline, Thorup suggested, was early next week.