“Mikel had a big influence on me” – Wilshere reveals Arteta’s impact

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Just Arsenal News

·4 October 2026

“Mikel had a big influence on me” – Wilshere reveals Arteta’s impact

Jack Wilshere’s playing career may have ended far earlier than he would have wanted, but his latest reflections suggest Arsenal helped ensure that football would remain a major part of his life.

Now approaching a year as Luton Town manager, the former Gunner has spoken about the two Arsenal managers who have had perhaps the greatest influence on his journey from player to coach – Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta.

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Speaking to BBC Sport, Wilshere explained that while he has worked with many coaches, Wenger remains the one who stands out most from his playing days.

Wenger taught Wilshere more than football

Interestingly, Wilshere says Wenger’s influence was not simply about what happened on the training pitch.

“It was more about how he made you feel,” he explained, adding that Wenger’s approach also helped players improve their understanding of the game.

Wilshere came through Arsenal’s academy before Wenger handed him his senior opportunity, eventually winning two FA Cups under the Frenchman.

Years later, Arteta would even identify Wilshere as another Wenger graduate capable of moving into coaching.

That prediction proved pretty accurate.

Max Porter and Jack Wilshere (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Arteta helped Wilshere fall in love with coaching

Wilshere’s real transition came when Arsenal allowed him to return while he was without a club, training with Arteta’s first team in the mornings while continuing his coaching qualifications with the Under-18s.

Watching Arteta work changed something.

Wilshere described seeing how intensely the Arsenal boss taught players, prepared sessions and explained why certain tactical instructions were necessary.

“I just started to fall in love with it,” Wilshere said of coaching, before later adding: “Mikel had a big influence on me.”

That relationship has continued, with Arteta offering Wilshere advice when he took his first permanent senior managerial job at Luton.

There is something very Arsenal about the whole progression.

Wenger helped shape Wilshere as a footballer and gave him opportunities as a youngster. Arteta then helped him understand the game from a coach’s perspective, before Wilshere began passing those lessons on to Arsenal’s next generation during his time with the academy.

Perhaps Wenger’s influence at Arsenal is still travelling through generations in ways that go far beyond the trophies he won.

Could Jack Wilshere eventually manage Arsenal one day, or is it simply good to see another former Gunner carrying Wenger and Arteta’s influence into management? Let us know in the comments below.

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