If speculation is accurate, Arsenal are willing to let Ainsley Maitland-Niles leave the club on loan this month.
According to The Mirror, the Gunners’ utility man is keen to leave North London in order to boost his hopes of making England’s Euro 2020 squad.
Considering he’s struggling for first-team football, you can definitely understand the player’s desire to go.
But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta might regret sanctioning this exit, if he does indeed leave.
It’s absolutely a dodgy one.
That’s because despite not playing, the 23-year-old has been and could still be a very important player for the Emirates Stadium side this season.
Maitland-Niles was one of the club’s best players toward the end of last season in helping Arteta’s side to an FA Cup title, with the Hale End academy product starring in semi-final and final wins over Manchester City and Chelsea respectively.
As it were, Arteta no longer uses a wing-back and therefore Maitland-Niles – who has started five Premier League games this season – isn’t as needed.
But the Spaniard is only one injury to Kieran Tierney away from being in big trouble and given how ordinary Cedric Soares has looked at left-back in recent games, Arteta might revert to a system which includes a left wing-back if the Scottish defender is absent.
And let’s face it, Tierney is brilliant but much of his 18-month spell in North London has been spent on the sidelines and with Sead Kolasinac also sold, Arsenal have a serious problem if the former Celtic star does get injured and Maitland-Niles is loaned out.
Maitland-Niles won’t be happy about it, but Arteta has to think about the team more than anything else and the truth is, he could play a vital role yet.
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