Wilshere set to miss EURO 2012

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury and "will not go" to UEFA EURO 2012 with England, Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed. A stress fracture to his right ankle has prevented Wilshere from playing this season, but both the player and Wenger had been optimistic that he would return to play some part in the end-of-season run-in. But speaking after Arsenal's surprise 2-1 loss at home to Wigan in the Premier League on Monday, Wenger said: "Jack Wilshere will not play again this season and will not go to the Euros, that is for sure. "He is not ready to practice today or next week. He makes progress, but slow progress. What is for sure is he will not be ready for the end of the season and not for the Euros. He is devastated, and you can understand that." It was hoped that Wilshere could play some part in Arsenal's last three Premier League outings against Stoke, Norwich and West Brom as preparation for possible involvement with the England squad in Poland and Ukraine. However, Wenger has always been clear that he would not allow the 20-year-old to report for international duty if he felt it would aggravate the problem. "What kept him going until now was that he still felt if it was not with us, he will still have a good chance to go to the Euro, but that is over now as well," Wenger continued. "We had a chat about it this week. His progress is not quick enough just to hope to go to the Euro." Wenger also dismissed the prospect of Wilshere playing some part for Great Britain in the Olympic football tournament, which starts seven weeks later than the Euros but would encroach on the start of next season. "The Olympics would be the worst idea for him," the Frenchman said. "When a guy has not played for a year, he needs a good preparation and a slow preparation after to start the season. "Once he is fit, he can think about the national team as well. It is not I do not want him to go to the Olympics, it is just that now he has other priorities than that." Asked whether the Football Association, who are still searching for a permanent successor to Fabio Capello, had been informed of Wilshere's situation, Wenger said: "The FA know. At the moment, the manager is invisible, so I cannot tell him." A "gutted" Wilshere took to his Twitter account to confirm his absence from the Euros and to pledge support to his England colleagues. "Gutted, sad, devastated... it's been a test mentally for me this season and it will continue to be tough until I am back out on the pitch," Wilshere wrote. "My ankle is good, I just have a few niggles and having been out so long I will not be fit enough for the Euro's! I hope England can do well and bring home the cup! I will be watching and cheering the boys on like a proper England fan!"