Jack Wilshere has given Arsenal and England a massive injury scare after suffering a recurrence of the ankle problem which has kept him out this season, the Guardian understands.
In what will come as a significant blow to both his club's efforts to secure a Champions League berth, and the national team's preparations for Euro 2012, Wilshere suffered a breakdown just at the point when he was set to return to first-team training for Arsenal.
It is not yet known exactly how long the midfielder will be out of action although there are fears he could miss the rest of the season. The manager Arsène Wenger confirmed at a press conference this afternoon that Wilshere would see a specialist today.
"He had a little setback. We are investigating it at the moment and don't know how bad it is," Wenger said. "He sees a specialist today. He has pain again in his ankle. We stopped him straight away. He did it running."
Wilshere, who has not played all season due to a stress fracture in his ankle, had been thought to be close to a return, after surprising Arsenal's medical staff with the speed of his progress in rehabilitation.
Although the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger had initially suggested the player could return to action in March, Wilshere had been aiming to get back in contention in time for the Champions League last-16 first leg against Milan on 15 February.
