Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has explained turning down Derby County last season.

Wilshere is currently without a club after leaving Danish side AGF Aarhus following the conclusion of the season. The 30-year-old has not given up on his playing career, which has largely stalled since leaving Arsenal in 2018.

Wilshere is in the process of obtaining his coaching badges and is hugely passionate about channelling his efforts into teaching the next generation of players. That ambition led him to speak with his former England team-mate Rooney, who has been in charge of Derby for the past 18 months.

“He was trying to convince me to come to Derby," Wilshere told The Telegraph . “I was always quite close with Wayne. We spoke about his management and he was loving it."

Wilshere, who also spoke with Frank Lampard about coaching a few years ago, made 14 first-team appearances for Aarhus and registered three assists for the Danish team. He has the option to extend his contract with the Superliga side, but is yet to decide which path to take.

"In Denmark I spent a lot of time on my own," he said. “You start thinking about things. I didn't ever reach my full potential as a player and everyone knows that. I just feel like there is something still in me that wants to get to a high level, and that probably won't ever be as a player again. So if I can do that as a coach, why not?

“I don't think I will ever accept it until I have reached [those levels] as a coach. It is a difficult thing to accept, and that is why I still have a big burning desire in me to be successful in the game."

Of his coaching ambitions, he added: “I would love to sit here and say I want to be England manager, I want to be Arsenal manager. But I am not stupid enough to think that just happens. You have to go and start somewhere, build yourself up."