Mikel Arteta is utilising a lot of youth at Arsenal but one player who has struggled to be involved since the Premier League returned is Ainsley Maitland-Niles, with fresh reports suggesting that he could be on his way out in the summer.
According to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, the 22-year-old has come to the conclusion that his time at the Gunners is over and that, if he wants to be playing first team football, he will need to leave as soon as possible.
His current contract at the club doesn’t end until 2023 but the Englishman is attracting interest from clubs in England as well as Germany.
Maitland-Niles has been in and out of the Arsenal squad this season but has been very helpful whenever called upon due to his versatility as he has played in midfield, on the wing and at right-back, per Transfermarkt.
This has seen him feature 18 times in the Premier League this season, mostly at right-back due to Hector Bellerin’s injury. He has come out in the past and emphasised that he doesn’t want to be stuck with that position and, when he has played elsewhere, it has mainly been as a substitute, per Transfermarkt.
Maitland-Niles’ fortunes this season show that Arteta does not favour him in his more desired position and the manager feels he has better quality where Maitland-Niles prefers to play, so therefore understandable that the player seemingly wants to leave.
It will be a shame for Arsenal if he leaves, due to the versatility his brings to the squad, but it would not be the biggest loss to the side (he has only made 14 league starts this term) and Arsenal should try and get some money for him so that they can reinvest it in players who might make more of an impact at the Emirates Stadium.
Gunners fans, what are your thoughts on Maitland-Niles leaving? Comment below!
