Seventeen years on from joining Arsenal as a promising nine-year-old and Jack Wilshere has announced he is leaving the club this summer.His confirmed departure has saddened Arsenal fans, who have always had such high hopes for the Englishman throughout his time in north London.It was expected Wilshere would sign a new contract with the Gunners but it seems he wasn't given much choice in the end but to leave.Speaking on Instagram earlier this week, Wilshere explained that a recent meeting with Unai Emery convinced him that staying was no longer the best option."I can confirm that I will be leaving Arsenal Football Club when my contract expires at the end of June," he wrote on Instagram."Following a number of extensive conversations with those at the club, and in particular a recent meeting with the new manager, Unai Emery, I felt that I was ultimately left with little choice but to make the decision that I have due to purely footballing reasons."As has been widely reported I, along with my representative, have been in talks with the club for a number of months with the view to signing a new contract to extend my stay at the Emirates.

END OF THE ROAD

"My intention throughout these discussions has always been to remain an Arsenal player. I have been on the books at Arsenal for 17 years and have always felt part of the fabric of the club.

"Such was my desire to stay that I had in fact recently agreed to sign a financially reduced contract in order to commit my future to the club.

"However, following my meeting with the new manager I was made aware that although the reduced contract offer remained, it was made clear to me that my playing time would be significant reduced should I decide to stay."

Wilshere's teammates at Arsenal have all been paying homage to him over the past few days and now Mesut Ozil has tweeted about the 26-year-old leaving (see below).

He wrote: "A true Gunner is leaving @Arsenal. Good luck on your next adventure bro."

Ozil always seems to take his time when it comes to saying goodbye to Arsenal teammates, yet fans are talking something else after his tweet.

Now that Wilshere is leaving, Ozil can finally inherit the No.10 shirt that he's wanted ever since he joined the Gunners in 2013.

And it's safe to say Arsenal fans are buzzing about that idea.