Jack Wilshere has knee surgery, should (hopefully) be fit for season

According to a report from fotbollskanalen.se (via Arseblog News), Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has had a successful "minor" (their words, not mine) surgery on his knee, and should have a good shot at being ready for the beginning of next season. Wilshere missed the entire 2011-12 season with an ankle injury and subsequent complications and flare-ups, so hopefully this is the end of something rather than a continuation.

Hakan Ericsson, of the Sports Medicine Clinic in Umeå (and presumably involved in the surgery), said that it went "entirely according to plan," that the surgery was on a knee tendon, and that "the normal recovery time is usually two to three months."

I'll go to Arseblogger for an assessment, because it basically echoes my feelings on the matter:

[Two to three months of recovery] should give Wilshere a chance of being fit for the start of next season. That said, with up to three months rehab ahead of him, Arsenal’s definition of ‘minor’ seems a little off. Perhaps a better word might have been ‘routine’. Unless they were comparing it to a knee amputation in which case they’re spot on.

At this point, we should probably leave Jack Wilshere out of any plans for next season, and act as if he is no longer alive or something. This is not because I believe he will not play next season: against all historical evidence, I'll take the club at their word and believe them when they say the surgery was routine and the player should be available for the beginning of the season. But planning and believing are two different things. I'm of the mind that when stakes are high, one should plan for the worst (in this case, Wilshere's leg having an alien parasite in it that makes him turn evil and sign for Spurs) while hoping for the best (two months' recovery, a short preseason, and Wilshere starting in Arsenal's midfield by September). In terms of player business, Arsenal need to assume Wilshere needs to be replaced, in case that ends up to be the case.

He will probably be fine, but it's better to be safe than in 17th place in September. Either way, hopefully this is the last time I'll have to type "Jack Wilshere" and "surgery" together for a long while.