Jack Wilshere next role as Arsenal U18s head coach prepares for Championship job

Jack Wilshere is in 'advanced talks' to quit his role as Arsenal Under 18s head coach and join Championship side Norwich City as a first-team coach.

The 32-year-old, who retired from professional football in July 2022, moved into coaching just four days after hanging up his boots and was . During his first season in charge, Wilshere led his team to the FA Youth Cup final - a game in which they lost to West Ham.

Wilshere continued to develop as a coach last season and his side have started this campaign unbeaten in the U18s Premier League, picking up nine points from their opening five matches. But now, Wilshere could be set to leave his position with Arsenal U18s and resume his coaching career elsewhere.

According to , Wilshere is nearing an exit from the Gunners as he prepares to make the move to second-tier outfit Norwich. He will effectively replace Narcis Pelach, who left last month to take over at fellow Championship club Stoke City after Steven Schumacher had been sacked.

Norwich are confident that Wilshere will join them but the move might not be completed in time for this Saturday's trip to Pelach's Stoke. Wilshere is said to be excited about the prospect of Johannes Hoff Thorup’s backroom staff and his relationship with Ben Knapper, who is Norwich's sporting director but previously worked as Arsenal's loans manager until October 2023, has helped the process.

Having won three of their last four matches, Norwich sit seventh in the Championship and just one point off the play-off places. If he does make the switch to Carrow Road, Wilshere will work with Manchester City loanee Callum Doyle, former Brighton defender Shane Duffy and Liverpool loanee Kaide Gordon.

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Speaking on Wednesday, Wilshere reflected on the pathway for English coaches - like himself - after Thomas Tuchel was given the England job. He told talkSPORT: "It definitely makes it more difficult but the way I look at it is that we’ve just got to get better.

"If you look around there’s young English coaches and we have to learn and make it our way. When you go through your licences and I’m currently on my pro licence and you’re looking at one of the hardest, best jobs in the world and so it gives you that belief.

"There’s different ways and different journeys but he (Gareth Southgate) was there and it was clear how good a job he did, but now we need to win something."