Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has insisted he did not refuse to play for England in next month's European Championship.

Wilshere was named in the England senior squad for the European Championship qualifier against Switzerland on June 4 but not for the U21s for the European Championships.

The 19-year-old had expressed his fears that playing through the summer could lead to injury but said he had not asked to be left out of the squad for the trip to Denmark.

Wilshere said: "Missing the U21s is not just about the Euros. It is about me looking after myself. "Over the last few weeks, I have been feeling tired and my GPS results have shown that.

"It shows I am heading for an injury and that is the last thing I want. Especially heading into the Euros. There are players like Steven Gerrard who have been injured while I have been playing and if I want to keep my place in the team I have to be 100 per cent.

"Over the last four games, after about 60 minutes, I started to feel a bit more tired than I would have done in January. It scared me a bit, made me realise as much as I can keep going and going, there's a time when you're going to hit the wall. Maybe that was coming.

"If I was in the squad, I would have gone. I love playing for England. Every time I get in a provisional squad now, I am buzzing. To put on an England shirt is a dream."