Jack Wilshere in big Daily Mail interview, talks about future

On being a young father:

I have grown up so much in the last three or four years. I was 19 when I had Archie. People said, 'You are never ready for your first kid' but for a 19-year-old to have a child is quite a big thing. I was going to football every day and not worrying about anything and then all of a sudden, I have a little boy to worry about.

It makes you grow up a lot. When I was 19, I was living with my parents, just getting on with my life. Then all of a sudden, I had to worry about this kid. Then their mother and I split up and my life changed a lot. We have a good arrangement about how much access I get. When I have my kids, it’s the best time of the week.

On his future at Arsenal:

I would be hurt if they sold me. I want Arsenal to want me. So if they didn’t want me, it would hurt. It would be strange playing for another club. I went to Bolton on loan and that was strange.

I feel like I’m ready to play now and that’s not going to change. I want to play more minutes before the end of the season and then I’ll have to wait until next season and see what the boss’s plans are for me, for the team.

I want to play first-team football. I want to play in the Premier League, the Champions League and I want to continue playing for England. If I’m going to do that, I have to play for my club and put in good performances for my club because there are other English midfielders who are doing that in the Premier League.

You can’t stop the speculation or do anything about it. I have not spoken to the boss about it at all. He has not mentioned it to me. I’ve not mentioned anything to him. At the moment, I need to get back in the team. The speculation about my future started when I was injured. You just want to get back out there and get back to what you love doing and just concentrate on that.

On his relationship with Wenger:

My first coaching session with him was when I was 14. We have known each other for a long time. I know he’s one of the only people that I can go to and ask how I’m playing and he’ll be honest with me.

There’s no holding back between us. We are honest with each other. We can have an open discussion about where I want to play. I think he has the same trust in me as always. That trust has to be earned.

On the smoking incidents:

I can take the publicity. I have learned to deal with it. It wasn’t the first time I have been in the paper for doing something that I shouldn’t. I have learned to let the football do the talking — but it’s more difficult for my family.

Being photographed smoking is not the worst thing in the world but, as a professional athlete and as someone who young kids look up to, it is not the right thing to do.

On losing friends:

Some of the pictures of footballers that come out, it looks like they have been taken by their friends. I have lost quite a lot of people over trust issues in the last seven years. I have only got now four or five friends that I would count as real friends. You get paranoid. You have to trust the people you are around. My family and my brother and a couple of close friends. You have to pick who you hang around with and who you have close to you.

On changing his style:

I have read that I need to change the way I play, not run with [the ball] as much. But then I wouldn’t be the player I am so I can’t do that.