✍️ OFFICIAL Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Out)

[MutableEarth]

If he really wanna stick being CM he should stay at Westbrom and build his career there even if in championship better than stay on bench or play in position he don't like

Leicester will play him CM IMO. They have RBs already.

 

[Iceman10]

He's not gonna go to any of those teams if there gonna play him RB . Leicester have RBs already with Pereira, Amartey playing there and Daley-Campbell. I think they'll be the best bet, especially considering how light they are in midfield behind the first XI. He definately gets rotational games for them.

Wow, if he goes to Leicester and plays anywhere near decent it will turn out to be a pretty bad indictment of Arsenal at present.

(note: mods, there is some weird autocorrect stuff going on replacing some words with alternatives at present)

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Siuuu! Smart sell this, will generate good money

 

[MutableEarth]

Wow, if he goes to Leicester and plays anywhere near decent it will turn out to be a pretty bad indictment of Arsenal at present.

(note: mods, there is some weird autocorrect stuff going on replacing some words with alternatives at present)

You noticed?

I think Leicester has more of a need for him - the problem at Arsenal is that we don't want him in his actual position and are quite happy to make him be back-up RB & LB forever. Leicester have a good midfield with no depth in it. If AMN can prove himself as a rotational option to give guys like Ndidi and Tielemans respite then he'll have a pretty decent career at Leicester. He really needs to start playing with a bit more focus and intensity to fit in there though, otherwise he'll still have the same problems he always has.

 

[akhil]

Wow, if he goes to Leicester and plays anywhere near decent it will turn out to be a pretty bad indictment of Arsenal at present.

(note: mods, there is some weird autocorrect stuff going on replacing some words with alternatives at present)

Indictment of us as a club and Arteta as man to judge talent. Although I don't think AMNs current level as a CM is anything special, he ceiling is potentially very high but he won't get there without playing regularly and learning on the job. I doubt we can give him the playing time in our current situation.

Anyway, we should be trying to get a good price selling within the PL. He should go somewhere he'd start regularly. He's be a bench player at Leicester as well.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

He won't get much time ahead of Ndidi or Teliemans if he wanna chance in midfield need join team the depth there not quality enough.

 

[Iceman10]

Indictment of us as a franchise and Arteta as man to judge talent. Although I don't think AMNs current level as a CM is anything special, he ceiling is potentially very high but he won't get there without playing regularly and learning on the job. I doubt we can give him the playing time in our current situation.

Anyway, we should be trying to get a good price selling within the PL. He should go somewhere he'd start regularly. He's be a bench player at Leicester as well.

Good comment, but I disagree on game time when Elneny and Ceballos have had quite a bit of match time. The problem isn’t so much second half of a season, it is more to do with lack of big picture during the first half of the season to work them in, and gain confidence.

 

[AberGooner]

You noticed?

I think Leicester has more of a need for him - the problem at Arsenal is that we don't want him in his actual position and are quite happy to make him be back-up RB & LB forever. Leicester have a good midfield with no depth in it. If AMN can prove himself as a rotational option to give guys like Ndidi and Tielemans respite then he'll have a pretty decent career at Leicester. He really needs to start playing with a bit more focus and intensity to fit in there though, otherwise he'll still have the same problems he always has.

There was strong rumours that Choudhury could have left Leicester for Newcastle in January who is another of their CM options so definitely looks like they are targeting AMN for midfield given that they only really have Ndidi, Tielemans and Mendy. There's no way he'd get game time as a RB with Pereira, Castagne and Justin their. Would be a good move for him if he can get it.

 

[Mitch]

Meh...already have two very good RBs in Chambers and Cedric.

We can ditch AMN and the other one.

 

[Get These Hands]

didn't we turn down like 30 mil from Wolves in the summer? In retrospect that appears to have been a very bad decision.

 

[akhil]

Good comment, but I disagree on game time when Elneny and Ceballos have had quite a bit of match time. The problem isn’t so much second half of a season, it is more to do with lack of big picture during the first half of the season to work them in, and gain confidence.

I literally hate those 2 and had me questioning everyone at the club in the technical staff if they thought those 2 had the makings of a PL midfielder. The relegation teams have CM pairings better than those 2, big reason along with a neutered Xhaka we were dogshit for nearly half a season.

There isn't any actual assesment/plan. Arteta rigidly favored experience until his job was under pressure.

 

[Iceman10]

I literally hate those 2 and had me questioning everyone at the club in the technical staff if they thought those 2 had the makings of a PL midfielder. The relegation teams have CM pairings better than those 2, big reason along with a neutered Xhaka we were dogshit for nearly half a season.

There isn't any actual assesment/plan. Arteta rigidly favored experience until his job was under pressure.

Elneny’s agent is expressing confidence with a contract renewal. I guess he would to some extent, but he seems rather too confident for my liking.

Bacary Sagna says sending Saliba on loan rather than assimilating him this season is “smart”, but what’s smart when we are still mid-table?

I don’t like what has gone on at expense of AMN and Willock for benefit of Elneny and a stagnated loanee, again, it is more to do with management and selections during the first half of the season more than anything else.

Willian is a blocker on players who were already at the club, but ok, we signed him, a mistake, and we have to try to get the most we can from it.

Arteta is entertaining talk about extending Laca’s contract, where I think we should freshen things up, including Martinelli and sealing the deal with Balogun where he sees opportunity. Arteta is saying “assess at the end of the season” so maybe it is more about keeping Laca motivated to the end of the season, will see.

Arteta open-endedly played coy over Aguero yesterday. Maybe it is about relationships, but I don’t think he appreciates how much he is on thin ice over this kind of thing after Willian. He should have killed it there and then.

... the worry is whether Arteta is evolving or learning anything in this aspect or whether he will remain stubborn. Saka has come on this season, but ESR is the only real introduction. Question also is where is Edu? At this point, in this specific area (youth, squad plan), I’m not convinced that Arteta is not worse than Emery, who seemed to have a clear vision on integrating youth but other aspects and some bad luck caused his demise.

 

[Goonger]

didn't we turn down like 30 mil from Wolves in the summer? In retrospect that appears to have been a very bad decision.

£15M we turned down apparently.

 

[truth_hurts]

Clearly not fancied by mid-table Mikel. This summer would be the right time for both parties to separate. Anything north of 20m can be reinvested into bring Ødegaard home!

Cedric and Willock can do AMN job as squaddie. I like him, but he won't be a huge loss.

 

[tap-in]

Selling is the best option, as I've said before he's not good enough to play in an Arsenal midfield. I dont think he'll do anything special where ever he goes, he seems to lack focus too often.

 

[akhil]

Elneny’s agent is expressing confidence with a contract renewal. I guess he would to some extent, but he seems rather too confident for my liking.

Bacary Sagna says sending Saliba on loan rather than assimilating him this season is “smart”, but what’s smart when we are still mid-table?

I don’t like what has gone on at expense of AMN and Willock for benefit of Elneny and a stagnated loanee, again, it is more to do with management and selections during the first half of the season more than anything else.

Willian is a blocker on players who were already at the club, but ok, we signed him, a mistake, and we have to try to get the most we can from it.

Arteta is entertaining talk about extending Laca’s contract, where I think we should freshen things up, including Martinelli and sealing the deal with Balogun where he sees opportunity. Arteta is saying “assess at the end of the season” so maybe it is more about keeping Laca motivated to the end of the season, will see.

Arteta open-endedly played coy over Aguero yesterday. Maybe it is about relationships, but I don’t think he appreciates how much he is on thin ice over this kind of thing after Willian. He should have killed it there and then.

... the worry is whether Arteta is evolving or learning anything in this aspect or whether he will remain stubborn. Saka has come on this season, but ESR is the only real introduction. Question also is where is Edu? At this point, in this specific area (youth, squad plan), I’m not convinced that Arteta is not worse than Emery, who seemed to have a clear vision on integrating youth but other aspects and some bad luck caused his demise.

The whole talk about Arteta has everyones confidence and is the long term manager for this club was a telling sign for me. I basically stopped thinking about everything that's been done wrong this season. He's basically got no real pressure until the fans are back.

Let him try starting the likes Willian, El neny and Luiz at the Emirates after a couple of rubbish games.

Regarding Edu, I have no idea what the new recruitment structure is. There hasn't been any reporting regarding that. But every link seems to be players we were linked with when Cagigao was at the helm. Last summer was pretty much handled by Raul. I'll give Edu credit for the winter, he did the best he could getting the useless contingent out permanently. How he handles sales this summer will be interesting to see. We still have a hugely bloated squad. If he can get Ødegaard and Bissouma through the door permanently, I think we have a genuine shot at top 4 next season but we're looking at an outlay of 80 million minimum.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Good at CM or not, we would not know for now. But he has reached the age where he would want to start regularly and he has decided that it is at the CM position and we cannot give that to him. He has the right to make his career choice. We should sell him and get some good cash now. He has done his best for the Arsenal so far. Good luck to him wherever he goes.

 

[Penn_]

Will be gutting if he gets a midfield role elsewhere and preforms. Got to trust that the ability just isn’t there as we’ve had years to blood him in his preferred position.

Would be harder to take than seeing Gnabry regularly destroy teams.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Think he will go permanently this summer. Southampton would be a good move if he wants that CM role.

 

[AberGooner]

Will be sad to see him go but what can you do? Can only imagine how good he'll be if Bielsa gets a hold of him.