Tammy Abraham has contacted Ainsley Maitland-Niles with Arsenal close a deal to let the midfielder join Roma on loan in the January transfer window, according to football.london.
The Stadio Olimpico side are keen to take Maitland-Niles to Italy next month to strengthen Jose Mourinho’s engine room. The Giallorossi entered their winter break last week sixth in the table and 14-points behind leaders Inter Milan, while six-points outside of the top-four.
Roma would prefer to sign Maitland-Niles on loan for the remainder of the season to offer Mourinho an additional option. The deal would also include a view to a permanent switch next summer for around £12m, when he will have 12-months remaining on his contract.
Maitland-Niles is also willing to leave Arsenal in the January transfer window, amid Roma’s interest. He has failed to gain a key role in Mikel Arteta’s plans with 11 outings this season.
The Hale Ender has also played just 263-minutes over eight Premier League appearances so far this term. His last top-flight outing also came in defeat to Liverpool on November 20.
Arsenal have taken five wins to two defeats since Maitland-Niles featured at Anfield. Yet his exit could leave Granit Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Charlie Patino as Arteta’s only midfielders in January with Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey at Africa Cup of Nations.
Former Arsenal target Abraham speaking to Maitland-Niles over Roma transfer
Maitland-Niles joining Roma during the January transfer window will also see the Arsenal product unite with compatriot Abraham in Italy. The 10-cap England striker left Chelsea for Roma on a five-year contract this August in a €40m (£34m) transfer.
Arsenal also looked into signing Abraham this summer, but The Athletic noted Arteta’s side did not make an offer. The forward instead moved to Italy, despite telling his former Blues teammates that he wanted to move to the Emirates Stadium if he left south-west London.
Now, Abraham has contacted Maitland-Niles – likely to discuss life in Rome – as Roma near a transfer for the Arsenal midfielder. Their communication would also suggest Maitland-Niles’ time in north London is nearing an end, 19-years after first joining the Gunners.
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