‘We’re trying to take him’: Manager admits he wants to sign Arsenal ace

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Roma manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that the Serie A giants are trying to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan from Premier League high-flyers Arsenal, speaking to Tuttomercatoweb. 

After six months of relative inactivity at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s seldom-seen England international is taking a leaf out of Tammy Abraham’s book as he looks to jump-start his stuttering top-flight career. 

According to The Athletic, Roma have agreed a short-term, temporary deal with Maitland-Niles. Personal terms will be a formality with an official unveiling expected to get underway before the week is out. 

And, when quizzed about the former West Brom loanee, Mourinho admitted that Maitland-Niles is one of the top names on Roma’s January wishlist.

“I don’t feel like talking about him, he’s not our player at the moment,” said Mourinho, before proceeding to do exactly the opposite.

“I can say he grew up close to me, at Arsenal, while I was at Chelsea, Tottenham and at Manchester United. The profile of our targets is well-known.” 

Is Ainsley Maitland-Niles leaving Arsenal for Roma?

Roma’s Serie A rivals Atalanta and Fiorentina have spent heavily this month already, the former agreeing a club-record deal for Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga while the latter have snapped up Jonathan Ikone from Ligue 1 champions Lille. 

“(Our window) will not be similar to that of Atalanta and Fiorentina,” Mourinho adds. We will have to improve the squad with one or two players on loan.” 

Maitland-Niles has made no secret of his desire to nail down a starting berth in his favoured central midfield role.

It remains to be seen how he feels about playing at right-back – a position which he grew tired off at Arsenal – in the Italian capital.  

Clearly, Mourinho sees Maitland-Niles as a full-back rather than a box-to-box ball-carrier.

“(Rick) Karsdorp (Roma’s first-choice right-back) played every minute. When he was suspended, we were not a team. Deranged. Lost,” the Portuguese adds. 

“Obviously we need a right-back. The director Tiago (Pinto) and the club are working on this, looking for a player that can come on loan.

“At Arsenal, (Takehiro) Tomiyasu (starts), then they have Cedric and (Calum) Chambers. It’s true that we are trying to take (Maitland-Niles), but let’s see.”