Jack Wilshere was hailed as England's next big thing when he burst onto the scene at Arsenal.

Having joined the Gunners in 2001 and spent seven years in the club's youth system, the Hitchin-born midfielder made the step up to the senior team in 2008 and adapted seemlessly.

Early signs suggested Wilshere had everything you could possibly want from a central midfielder, such as energy, composure, aggression and an eye for a pass.

His best performance to date as an Arsenal player came in 2011, against Barcelona at home in the Champions League last 16 first leg.

Late goals from Robin van Persie and Andrey Arshavin secured a shock 2-1 victory heading into the second leg, though it was Wilshere's performance that really caught the eye.

It's no exaggeration that the Englishman, aged 19 at the time, bossed it in midfield, despite facing the world-class likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

His display drew a lot of praise in the aftermath and, speaking four years later in 2015, Xavi went as far to say Wilshere is still the future of English football.

"If he had a career that had been injury-free we would already be talking about him as one of the top central midfield players in Europe," the Spaniard said, per the Mirror.

"I have played against him, I have watched him carefully, and if he can overcome injuries, then he can still go on an be one of the best midfield players in the world.

"With all respect, he doesn't play the English way. He has an excellent passing range, an ability not to lose the ball, it is clear that he has had his education at Arsenal.

"Now I see Wilshere as the future of English football, that is why it is so important they keep him fit."

There's video evidence of just how good Wilshere was against Barcelona six years ago. In the footage below, Wilshere ran rings around their midfield while also putting on a defensive masterclass.

However, while Wilshere's career as a senior Arsenal player started so promisingly, it's since taken a bit of a nose dive.

The 25-year-old is currently on loan at Bournemouth and his future is in doubt. Perhaps Pep Guardiola was right all along about how Wilshere isn't actually that special.

"He can be a great player for Arsenal and England," he said after the 2-1 defeat, "but we have many types of player like him in the second team.

"He's lucky, as Arsenal have time. There is not the pressure to win titles as quickly as possible. We have second-team players like him."