Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has claimed that he is fitter than ever following his latest return from injury.
Wilshere enjoyed his busiest Premier League season since 2010-11 on loan with Bournemouth last term, only to see it cut short by a broken leg suffered in April.
The injury-plagued England international has since returned to the Arsenal first team, though, and he believes that he is making good progress in his bid to become a regular starter at the Emirates once again.
"If I'm honest, my fitness levels are probably the best they've ever been. I always hear the boss say it is my first five-metre burst, when I receive the ball and to get away from defenders and I feel that's getting better and better each day," Wilshere told Arsenal Player.
"I look at my numbers after the game and I've been out for four months and I'm not the one who hasn't run the most. When I first broke into the first team, even looking back when I was 16, you take things for granted. I was training every day and when you're a 16-year-old, you can do that.
"As you get older your body changes, you pick up injuries, you have to be more careful with certain situations and it makes you stronger as well. I've always loved playing football and that's what I wanted to do."
Wilshere is yet to make his first league appearance of this season, but he has featured in the EFL Cup and Europa League.
Barney Corkhill
