'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 added.

'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 preperation 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.'

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