Mikel Arteta has invited Jack Wilshere to train with his Arsenal squad, as the midfielder looks for a new club.
The 29-year-old is currently a free agent after leaving Bournemouth earlier in the summer upon the expiry of his contract.
Wilshere joined the Gunners in 2007 after moving from Luton Town's academy and he went on to spend 11 years in north London - becoming a real fan favourite in the process.
Arteta, who played with Wilshere for five years between 2011 and 2016 at the Emirates Stadium, has now insisted that the former Arsenal star is more than welcome to train with his squad while he continues to look for a new club.
"Jack’s a great guy and someone I used to share a dressing room with. He’s loved here. Our doors are always open," Arteta said when asked about Wilshere.
Wilshere's love for Arsenal is no secret and he has often spoken publicly about that, but it was in an interview with The Athletic earlier this year where he admitted he regretted moving from the club in 2018 to join West Ham United on a permanent basis.
"Honestly, I should have never left, that's nothing against West Ham - it could have been anyone - but I shouldn't have left Arsenal," Wilshere said.
"I sat down with Emery and he said 'Look, there's a contract on the table but you're not in my starting XI.' I thought I was going to play - I proved myself the year before. I probably made a few rash decisions. I rang my agent and said 'That's it, we need to leave.'
"I should have taken a few days, calmed down and thought to myself again, 'I look around this midfield and back myself to get in'."
Despite still being under 30 still, injuries have more than taken their toll on Wilshere and he has considered retiring from professional football.
When asked about the possibility of calling it a day in football, the former Arsenal man said: "Yeah, that does cross my mind quite a lot.
"I'm waking up in the mornings at the moment and I'm thinking, 'Right, I need to go and train somewhere'. Normally it's on my own… OK, I've been training with a club in pre-season but that's finished now.
"I'm back to waking up, training on my own and finding that motivation. And the question I keep asking myself at the moment is: What am I doing it for?
"I said to my agent I don't want to be in that position where I'm waiting and waiting and before you know it January comes and I've almost wasted another season.
"I'm not getting any younger and I don't want that. I did that last year, so to do it again… I feel like I'd be wasting my time."
Wilshere is still on the hunt for a new club.
