Eddie Howe has made clear Bournemouth’s ambition to secure Jack Wilshere from Arsenal on a permanent basis but has suggested the final decision will rest with the England midfielder when he considers his future at the end of his loan spell.

Wilshere is on a season-long deal at the Vitality Stadium after injury issues blighted his progress over recent seasons. He has proved his fitness by making 17 Premier League starts, establishing himself in Howe’s team and impressing the management with his attitude, contribution and influence. The 25-year-old will have 12 months on his contract at Arsenal when he returns in the summer and, with no guarantees of a new deal or regular first-team football at his parent club, will need to assess his options.

Bournemouth, whose record outlay is the initial £13m paid to Liverpool for Jordon Ibe last summer, are keen to buy Wilshere. “We would love that to happen,” Howe said. “I can’t rate Jack any higher as a person or a footballer, and how he’s come into the team and what he has delivered for us. But there has been no discussion with Arsenal.

“As I see it, Jack’s on loan until the summer when we’ll look at it and Jack will look at it. He views this as his home at the moment, until the end of the season. His heart has been here from the day he walked in the door. There have been no problems there. But it’s his right to review his options at the end of the season and see where his career goes next.

“His future is something we can worry about at the end of the season. Not now. We’ve got other things to think about. But it’s very much in Jack’s hands, and where he sees his career going next. We’re enjoying the relationship at the moment, but let’s concentrate on the football.”

Wilshere’s has been a busy presence in the side since he joined on transfer deadline day in the autumn, when Milan, Roma and Crystal Palace were left disappointed by the player’s desire to move to Bournemouth. Howe remains unperturbed by the player’s record of no goals and only two assists – the last of which set up Josh King in the 6-3 defeat at Everton last Saturday – in his 21 appearances.

“From my perspective, I look deeper in terms of what he is doing and what he’s doing for the team,” Howe said. “This season we’ve improved a lot of the aspects of our play because of him. It’s not down to one individual in how you play, but he’s fitted into that team very well. He is producing more match-defining moments for me: the pass to Josh King against Everton was sublime. I think there are more moments like that to come from him as he continues to improve.”

Bournemouth go into the home match with Manchester City on Monday six points above the relegation zone, having won only once in eight top‑flight matches. Simon Francis, Adam Smith and Charlie Daniels, all key members of Bournemouth’s first-choice back-line, have failed to train this week because of injury.