Arsene Wenger can offer no guarantees Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will be fit for the start of next season.
The 20-year-old has not featured for the Gunners at all in the 2011/2012 campaign because of a niggling ankle problem picked up on international duty with England that eventually needed surgery.
While Wilshere has already been ruled out of featuring at the European Championships, Team GB coach Stuart Pearce has the player very much in his thoughts for the Olympics squad.
However, Wenger believes that is likely to be ruled out and is cautious when pressed on whether the energetic young midfielder would be back in time for the new English Premier League season in August.
The Arsenal boss said: “I do not want to set the Olympics as a target because I do not know whether Jack will be fit to start at the beginning of the season.
“It is our target to get him to improve.
“When we start [pre-season training] on July 9, can he join in, then we have won the battle, but that is not guaranteed.”
Wenger feels it could be detrimental to Wilshere’s long-term progress if he is rushed back into action too soon.
“You get the first knock, but think ‘Okay, at least I will be ready for the Euros.’ Then you have to convince him, ‘look my friend, it will not work for the Euros.’ You knock him down again,” Wenger said.
“Then, you set him another target [the Olympics]. If he doesn’t make it, he will lose a complete appetite for rehab because it’s difficult.
“If you say, ‘you can go to the Olympics’ and he doesn’t make it, what do you give him after?
“You must work every day on the machines out there, not knowing when you come back.
“Let’s take our time and not set any specific targets.
“The most important thing for him is to focus on day-to-day work and see if he can get better.”
Wenger revealed there was more positive prognosis on the fitness of England winger Theo Walcott, who limped out of last weekend’s goalless draw against Chelsea with a hamstring problem.
The Gunners boss said: “It is less serious than we thought. He has a small chance to play in the last game [of the season].
“For the Euros, he is definitely available.
“I think in fact the injury of Walcott is good news for England because he just has a little rest.
“He had enough competition and now he has a little rest before going there so he should be in a good frame of mind and physically fit.”
Wenger felt this campaign was Walcott’s “best season yet”, with the forward having netted 11 goals.
“Theo gets criticism because he raises the level of expectation so much that when he has a disappointing game or doesn’t make the difference, people straight away go at him because they expect something special,” he said.
Arsenal head to Stoke on Saturday looking to cement third place in the Premier League.
They could have already secured that position had they not dropped points in a home defeat by Wigan and a frustrating goalless draw against Chelsea last week.
“We have been tested on that front, so we can have confidence to have the mental strength,” Wenger said.
“We have been in worse situations than we are in now, so it is a good opportunity to show it.”
Arsenal have yet to confirm whether Wenger’s trusted number two Pat Rice will again delay his retirement and continue next season.
Wenger said: “Pat is fantastic. He works every day hard.
“It looks like he could stop, but it is not official yet.”
Steve Bould, currently the Arsenal youth-team coach, has been tipped as a potential successor to the popular former Gunners defender and Northern Ireland international.