Bournemouth confirms Wilshere will miss remainder of season

Jack Wilshere is battling with his body once again.

AFC Bournemouth confirmed Wednesday that Wilshere suffered a hairline fracture of his left fibula and will miss the remainder of the season. The injury occurred in the second half of the Cherries' defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. X-rays after the game were clear, but further scans revealed the full extent of the damage.

"It's a big blow to lose Jack," Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said. "We have loved working with him since he arrived at the club last August. He has made a huge contribution to our season, both on and off the pitch. We wish him a quick recovery and thank him for his effort and professionalism while he was with us."

Wilshere, who joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan from Arsenal, will undergo further specialist assessments to identify more specifics regarding the injury and to structure a rehabilitation programme.

The injury is demoralising for Wilshere, who appeared in 27 of Bournemouth's Premier League fixtures this season. It was only in October that - after making three appearances as a substitute - the English midfielder played all 90 minutes of a top-flight match for the first time since September 2014, a run spanning 771 days.

In an exclusive with the Guardian's Daniel Taylor that was published back in November, Wilshere admitted to nearly falling out of love with football when he suffered a "freak injury in training" that took "forever to heal."

"I nearly did," Wilshere said. "When you are injured - and injured for a while - it is hard. You have to go to training ground and watch everyone go out and play. Then you go to the Emirates (Stadium) to watch them play the match. It was difficult at times."

To what extent Wilshere's latest setback affects his love of football remains to be seen.