EDDIE Howe described his working relationship with Jack Wilshere as a “match made in heaven” and insisted the injured star’s plight would motivate Cherries to finish their season “on a high”.

Wilshere fractured his left leg playing against Tottenham last week, a body blow which Howe admitted had been felt throughout his dressing room.

The Cherries boss was similarly sorry to lose the midfielder for the rest of the campaign and claimed Wilshere deserved enormous credit for ensuring his stay at Vitality Stadium was a “huge success”.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Dealing with Jack has been brilliant. He has been great to manage and not given me a minute’s problem.

“He is just motivated by football. He wants to play, he wants to talk about the game and he wants to improve. From that perspective it was a match made in heaven for me. The press side and the constant focus on him was fine, I understood it.”

Wilshere became a popular figure during his eight months at the club, something Howe attributes to the 25-year-old’s down to earth attitude.

“The players really enjoyed playing alongside him and liked him as a person,” continued the manager. “He fitted into the team really well and that came down to Jack buying into Bournemouth.

“He came here, not with the mentality of a loan player, but with the mentality of ‘I’m a Bournemouth player this season’.

“That endeared him to the players. Whenever you see a team-mate in a moment of difficulty there is part of you that wants to succeed for that player, so I don’t see this being any different.

“The squad is very tight and very motivated to do well and finish the season on a high for Jack.”

Howe revealed Wilshere would begin his treatment with parent club Arsenal, where his contract expires at the end of next season.

Nevertheless, such is the bond he has forged with his Cherries colleagues, the manager expects to see him back cheering them on before the season is out.

And Howe acknowledged working with Wilshere had further stoked his appetite for coaching top-class footballers, albeit he refused to be drawn on any potential move for the England international this summer.

“I would love to see Jack back here supporting the players at some stage and I am sure that will happen,” added Howe.

“You want to work with the best players and to challenge yourself. But most importantly you want to improve the team. If that means bringing in new players, better players, then we will look at it.

“But the answers aren’t always outside. We have a squad full of talented players – and it is about making them better. I think Jack’s loan spell has been hugely successful and, hopefully, he would feel the same way. We love him to bits but the future is unknown and he is an Arsenal player now.

“Let’s wait and see.”