The Telegraph revealed yesterday that Ainsley Maitland-Niles has decided that he has no future at Arsenal.
The versatile Englishman was once one of our brightest prospects. Many fans felt that Maitland-Niles was the future of our club, but disagreements with Mikel Arteta over his best position have pushed him away from the side.
The 23-year-old joined West Brom on loan in January to prove that he can thrive as a central midfielder. Apart from a few flashes of brilliance, he hasn’t done much at the Hawthorns over the last two months.
If Maitland-Niles really wants to continue as a midfielder, he knows that he will have to find a new home. The report claims that he has decided he wants to leave Arsenal this summer, and that is the best thing for all parties.
At a period where Arsenal will have to sell players to raise funds, Maitland-Niles, labelled as an ‘absolutely brilliant’ full-back by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, is a very valuable asset.
Being a home-grown player and a full England international, the 23-year-old is worth a decent amount of money and Arsenal will likely cash-in on him this summer.
The report claims that Leicester City, Southampton and Wolves are all expected to be interested in his services. It is also claimed that a few big clubs might also join the race for him, which could allow us to start a bidding war to drive the price up.
Most Arsenal fans knew this was going to happen this summer but many still feel it’s unfortunate that the Englishman’s future lies elsewhere.
Here’s how a few Gooners reacted to the news on Twitter:
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