What Jack Wilshere has said about Wolves loanee Nigel Lonwijk bodes very well

Jack Wilshere’s latest verdict on Wolves youngster Nigel Lonwijk is sure to be welcomed by Molineux officials.

Nigel Lonwijk is spending the 2025/26 season on loan at Luton Town, which is his sixth spell away from Wolves since he arrived in 2021.

It is another chance for the Dutchman to show what he can do, and it’s a big season for him because his contract at Molineux expires next summer.

So he is playing to earn an extension.

So far this term, Lonwijk has been pretty heavily involved for Luton, making 15 appearances for over 1000 minutes on the pitch.

And recently, Jack Wilshere – who took over at Luton on October – dropped a verdict on Lonwijk that is sure to go down fairly well with those at Wolves involved in the loans.

Jack Wilshere pleased with Nigel Lonwijk after ‘awkward’ chat recently

While Lonwijk has played fairly regularly this season, he hasn’t actually been operating in his preferred position in the centre of defence.

For the most part, he has played on the sides as a wing-back.

Wilshere has suggested Lonwijk is capable as a full-back or wing-back. But against Huddersfield Town in midweek he got to play in the middle, and that was the case again yesterday against Bolton.

Ahead of that game with Bolton, Wilshere spoke about Lonwijk, whom he left out of the matchday squad recently against Barnsley.

The former Arsenal midfielder admitted it was an ‘awkward’ chat, but one that has seemingly lit a fire beneath Lonwijk.

Wilshere said (via Luton Today): “He was excellent (via Huddersfield) and the thing is for the players and I’ve said this, it’s important how you train and how you work because if and when someone comes out of the team, whether it be injury, loss of form, which can happen, we don’t want it to be any different.

“You saw Nigel do that as then in the 65th, 70th minute, naturally he hasn’t played in a while, he was a bit fatigued and then the next one (Andersen) comes in, so I’m really happy with Nigel. It’s nice as well as I had a conversation with him in Barnsley on the morning of the game, to tell him that he wasn’t in the squad and the look in his eyes, he wanted to kill me! But it’s going to be like that. I said to the lads, they all have to be ready. I don’t want to be killed, but it’s natural and they’re awkward conversations for me.”

Lonwijk has shown a great mentality after being dropped

It is never nice for players to be left out of matchday squads, but it seems Lonwijk used that setback in a positive way.

He’s now started the last two League One games for Luton, and played well in his natural position and Wilshere is clearly pleased with how he’s responded.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Lonwijk in the coming months.

Initially there were high hopes for him at Wolves, but the fact he’s now in his sixth loan spell suggests he hasn’t been close to making a push for a first-team spot.

He’s never made an appearance for the first-team, so a big season is needed at Luton if he is to earn an extension then a place in the squad.

If Wolves get relegated to the Championship, then perhaps there will be a plan to integrate Lonwijk if he’s played well enough for Luton.