Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes the only barrier to Jack Wilshere fulfilling his potential is injuries and refused to chastise the England midfielder for courting controversy with a night out in London.

The 24-year-old was pictured speaking to police in the early hours of last Sunday morning during a night out in central London.

Wenger played down the incident as Wilshere prepared to step up his return from a long-standing leg problem in Friday night’s under-21 fixture with Newcastle.

“I’ve spoken to him. It looks to be taken out of proportion a little bit,” said Wenger, speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with West Ham.

“These are matters that we like to keep internal. This is a completely private matter. I don’t know really what happened.”

Wilshere has a chequered history of off-field incidents, but Wenger insists his only lingering doubt over whether the midfielder will live up to his undoubted talent surrounds his fitness.

Wenger added: “At the moment I believe he’s a real football brain, Jack Wilshere. He loves football.

“He’s very serious, very dedicated. The only thing that could stop him from having the career he can make is injuries.

“He had the history of his injuries. It’s been bad recently. But I hope he can get rid of that and make the career he deserves.”