Everton are 'prepared to make a winter swoop' for Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, as per TRANSFERmarketWEB. 

The lowdown

Everton tried to arrange a loan with an option to buy in the final stages of the summer transfer window, but Arsenal blocked the move.

Maitland-Niles was keen on joining the Blues and took to Instagram to publicly express his frustration (via The Athletic).

Having been told he was part of Mikel Arteta's plans for the season ahead, he's featured in four of the Gunners' six Premier League matches, starting once.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his Arsenal contract and is valued at £14.4million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The report says that Maitland-Niles very much remains on Everton's radar.

Intriguingly, the report says Rafael Benitez likely views him not as a midfielder but as 'a possible successor for Seamus Coleman' at right-back.

It remains to be seen, though, whether Arsenal will be willing to sanction his departure this time around. They've already let Hector Bellerin join Real Betis on a season-long loan.

The verdict

Everton's failure to sign a right-back in the summer has already hurt them in the early weeks of the season. With Coleman sustaining an injury, Ben Godfrey has had to fill in, and he doesn't look entirely comfortable in the role.

It's important that they do get a deal done in January, but it's hard to see Arsenal agreeing to part with a valuable squad option midway through the campaign.

In other news, this man came under fire for his performance against Norwich.