Martin Keown has said on talkSPORT that Ainsley Maitland-Niles should leave Arsenal on loan, amid reported interest from Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.
According to talkSPORT, Southampton and West Brom are interested in signing Maitland-Nilea on loan from Premier League rivals Arsenal in the January transfer window.
Arsenal legend Keown believes that the 23-year-old, who can operate as a midfielder or as a full-back, should leave the Gunners on loan before the window closes on Monday if he gets the chance.
Keown said about Maitland-Niles on talkSPORT: “He’s an England international and played very well for England, he looked good at the end of last season playing at left wing-back. But without the wing-back system it doesn’t seem like there’s a place for him.
“I thought he played very well in the Europa League in central midfield and they were going to launch him from there. But maybe Mikel Arteta doesn’t really believe in the player.
“When you’ve got Wolves and Leicester looking at you it shows the quality of the player. It’s disappointing for him, but maybe he’s better off to get some football and go on loan between now and the end of the season.
“It would be a baptism of fire for him going to West Brom, but sometimes you’ve got to just roll your sleeves up and playing is more important than watching everybody else play.”
Leaving Arsenal on loan
According to WhoScored, Maitland-Niles has made five starts and six substitute appearances in the Premier League and has played five times in the Europa League for Arsenal so far this season.
The England international is now 20 years of age, and at this stage of his career, he needs to play regular first-team football.
A move to Southampton or West Brom on loan for the rest of the season would be good for the 23-year-old, especially if he becomes a regular in the starting lineup straightaway.
The 23-year-old – described as “a very useful player with great speed, technically gifted, a good passer of the ball” by Arsenal maager Mikel Arteta in Football.London in January 2020 – could come back to the Gunners next season a better and more mature footballer.
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