✍️ OFFICIAL Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Out)

[Macho]

Spoiler: Possible loan

West Bromwich Albion are pushing hard to sign Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan for the rest of the season, David Ornstein can reveal.

The 23-year-old is also attracting interest from a current top-four side, who it is thought Arsenal might prefer him to join, but that club would need to do other business before stepping up a move.

Maitland-Niles has started only five Premier League games this season and is seeking regular match time to boost his chances of being named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2021.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must decide whether or not to sanction the exit of a player who was an important part of his line-up for the FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs in August.

West Brom are in contact with Arsenal but the Londoners are believed to have reservations about Maitland-Niles joining a side in a relegation fight and with a very different style of football.

Baggies manager Sam Allardyce is understood to be keen on strengthening his central midfield and possibly also at full-back, both of which are positions where Maitland-Niles can operate.

The current alternative suitors have recruitment work to do prior to advancing this situation

Thankfully, the club being picky about where he goes indicates he still has a future here atleast.

Shame on you guys willing to accept 20m for him.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Spoiler: Possible loan

West Bromwich Albion are pushing hard to sign Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan for the rest of the season, David Ornstein can reveal.

The 23-year-old is also attracting interest from a current top-four side, who it is thought Arsenal might prefer him to join, but that club would need to do other business before stepping up a move.

Maitland-Niles has started only five Premier League games this season and is seeking regular match time to boost his chances of being named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2021.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must decide whether or not to sanction the exit of a player who was an important part of his line-up for the FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs in August.

West Brom are in contact with Arsenal but the Londoners are believed to have reservations about Maitland-Niles joining a side in a relegation fight and with a very different style of football.

Baggies manager Sam Allardyce is understood to be keen on strengthening his central midfield and possibly also at full-back, both of which are positions where Maitland-Niles can operate.

The current alternative suitors have recruitment work to do prior to advancing this situation

Thankfully, the club being picky about where he goes indicates he still has a future here atleast.

Shame on you guys willing to accept 20m for him.

I just find it difficult to see a future for him here. Ideally, you'd want a bigger fee, but in the current market that seems unlikely.

WBA seems a poor option, but we do not know the identity of the other clubs that are interested. I hope the other options are better.

The contract expires in June 2023, that gives us some time.

 

[Macho]

I just find it difficult to see a future for him here. Ideally, you'd want a bigger fee, but in the current market that seems unlikely.

WBA seems a poor option, but we do not know the identity of the other clubs that are interested. I hope the other options are better.

The contract expires in June 2023, that gives us some time.

He’s good enough and versatile enough to slot in somewhere tbh, it’s not even a good team.

We’ve essentially held this guy back by not playing him nor finding him a position. He would be better off leaving the club for his own sake, but I doubt we would improve on him personally.

 

[DanDare]

I don't think the club/Arteta knows what to do with AMN. They want to keep him but can't really find a role for him in the squad.

Now we are playing 4231 he doesn't have a role other than emergencies on the left. Arteta rates Bellerin and Cedric higher at RB and doesn't see him as a CM either so to me we should sell.

I like Ainsley a lot but we aren't using him and he'll feel this season's been a bit of a waste if it carries on like this for him.

 

[field442]

Should be sold. Time to cash in and buy a proper LB.

 

[Big Poppa]

Should be sold. Time to cash in and buy a proper LB.

Or how about we cash in on Elneny, buy a proper LB and use AMN in his correct position for once.

 

[field442]

Or how about we cash in on Elneny, buy a proper LB and use AMN in his correct position for once.

He doesn’t have a correct position, which is mostly the problem. All this midfield talk is based on one good performance against Utd. Everything else is “he has the attributes” to play there. Three managers haven’t wanted to play him there with any consistency. His best performances have come as a wing back and we probably won’t go back to that system going forward.

It’s not one or the other either. Sell Elneny and AMN.

 

[Dutch D]

I have reconciled with the fact that he's not making it here, so I would like to see him fetch a nice transfer sum in the summer. Don't think a loan can hurt his value. Hope he actually gets some gametime in a decent side, though.

 

[Big Poppa]

He doesn’t have a correct position, which is mostly the problem. All this midfield talk is based on one good performance against Utd. Everything else is “he has the attributes” to play there. Three managers haven’t wanted to play him there with any consistency. His best performances have come as a wing back and we probably won’t go back to that system going forward.

It’s not one or the other either. Sell Elneny and AMN.

So you yourself admit there isn’t enough sample data.

Now to the next point. He played in midfield against Rapid Vienna and collected MoTM in our biggest home win of the season.

Was he ever used there again? Ofcourse not. Instead he was left out of subsequent match day squads and thrown back in at RB against Everton when Bellerin got suspended. We went with a Ceballos - Elneny pairing in that game and the performance is what you’d expect.

The reason y’all think he doesn’t have a proper position is because he gets used that way and wtf is he supposed to do about that? He asked to leave because of it. Exact same situation as Ox who was never a fullback either.

He dealt with players like Salah, Mane, Traoré, Sterling, Hazard while playing in an uncomfortable position, got MoTM in finals but doesn’t deserve to get minutes in another position, and gradually learn the discipline needed to improve there? What?

With Partey injured, Xhaka suspended, Guendouzi and Torreira on loan?

Nah. Not having that.

 

[Toby]

Or how about we cash in on Elneny, buy a proper LB and use AMN in his correct position for once.

 

[Maybe]

Or how about we cash in on Elneny, buy a proper LB and use AMN in his correct position for once.

Think we are closer to the point where his value will be 0 and we will look at terminating his contract

 

[field442]

So you yourself admit there isn’t enough sample data.

Now to the next point. He played in midfield against Rapid Vienna and collected MoTM in our biggest home win of the season.

Was he ever used there again? Ofcourse not. Instead he was left out of subsequent match day squads and thrown back in at RB against Everton when Bellerin got suspended. We went with a Ceballos - Elneny pairing in that game and the performance is what you’d expect.

The reason y’all think he doesn’t have a proper position is because he gets used that way and wtf is he supposed to do about that? He asked to leave because of it. Exact same situation as Ox who was never a fullback either.

He dealt with players like Salah, Mane, Traoré, Sterling, Hazard while playing in an uncomfortable position, got MoTM in finals but doesn’t deserve to get minutes in another position, and gradually learn the discipline needed to improve there? What?

With Partey injured, Xhaka suspended, Guendouzi and Torreira on loan?

Nah. Not having that.

None of his managers have wanted to play him there regularly. If he moves it will probably be to play full back/wing back at another club. But yeah, let’s keep him and move forward with this “AMN the midfielder” project. Quite weird how every manager who has worked with him daily doesn’t see him as a starter in midfield but some fans seem to think he’ll be revolutionary there.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

So you yourself admit there isn’t enough sample data.

Now to the next point. He played in midfield against Rapid Vienna and collected MoTM in our biggest home win of the season.

Was he ever used there again? Ofcourse not. Instead he was left out of subsequent match day squads and thrown back in at RB against Everton when Bellerin got suspended. We went with a Ceballos - Elneny pairing in that game and the performance is what you’d expect.

The reason y’all think he doesn’t have a proper position is because he gets used that way and wtf is he supposed to do about that? He asked to leave because of it. Exact same situation as Ox who was never a fullback either.

He dealt with players like Salah, Mane, Traoré, Sterling, Hazard while playing in an uncomfortable position, got MoTM in finals but doesn’t deserve to get minutes in another position, and gradually learn the discipline needed to improve there? What?

With Partey injured, Xhaka suspended, Guendouzi and Torreira on loan?

Nah. Not having that.

The only reason I finally, as of now, want him gone - it looks like he'll never ever get a proper chance at his best position.

Feels like a bit of Pepe in that they both sometimes had standout games and got dropped - so weird.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

None of his managers have wanted to play him there regularly. If he moves it will probably be to play full back/wing back at another club. But yeah, let’s keep him and move forward with this “AMN the midfielder” project. Quite weird how every manager who has worked with him daily doesn’t see him as a starter in midfield but some fans seem to think he’ll be revolutionary there.

Wenger played AMN at RB after CM because we had **** all backup after injuries.
He never got a chance to do anything else after that for no reasons.

 

[Sanchez11]

Id bin Bellerin and move him to rb and sign a back up lb

 

[Big Poppa]

None of his managers have wanted to play him there regularly. If he moves it will probably be to play full back/wing back at another club. But yeah, let’s keep him and move forward with this “AMN the midfielder” project. Quite weird how every manager who has worked with him daily doesn’t see him as a starter in midfield but some fans seem to think he’ll be revolutionary there.

He doesn’t have to be a starter in midfield. Elneny isn’t a starter in midfield. Ceballos isn’t a starter in midfield. I’m just asking he gets some of the opportunities they do before being flogged.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Id bin Bellerin and move him to rb and sign a back up lb

What good does this do us? AMN isn't amazing in the final third, nor is he a good defender. I've said this multiple times but all he really has is good physical traits. He is our version of Milner, however he doesn't want to be a Milner. He wants the game time. He isn't getting in ahead of Partey and he doesn't compliment Partey well either, we can sign much better players in that position.

Will AMN ever be a champions league level right back or left back, absolutely not. Can we sign a proper champions league level right back, yes.

 

[Sanchez11]

What good does this do us? AMN isn't amazing in the final third, nor is he a good defender. I've said this multiple times but all he really has is good physical traits. He is our version of Milner, however he doesn't want to be a Milner. He wants the game time. He isn't getting in ahead of Partey and he doesn't compliment Partey well either, we can sign much better players in that position.

Will AMN ever be a champions league level right back or left back, absolutely not. Can we sign a proper champions league level right back, yes.

Thats all well and good but what about the HG rule!

 

[field442]

He doesn’t have to be a starter in midfield. Elneny isn’t a starter in midfield. Ceballos isn’t a starter in midfield. I’m just asking he gets some of the opportunities they do before being flogged.

That’s a fair point, but in terms of a squad rebuild if he’s 3rd/4th choice we’d be better off getting £20m for him and investing elsewhere.

 

[AberGooner]

The way Arteta has Bellerin come inside to midfield from RB would suit AMN a lot more plus he's the best defender we have at that position but that ship has sailed. Cedric is now ahead of him as well with his performances lately. How he can't get a chance in midfield even as a backup over the likes of Elneny I'll never know.

When he was given a run of games to end the season he was fantastic shutting down the likes of Traore, Salah and Mahrez which I think lead to him being told to stay but since he doesn't seem to be in Arteta's plans at all now strange why we didn't cash in. I really like him as a player but don't see a future for him now which is a shame.