Según The Athletic , Southampton, one of the revelations of the current season in the English Premier League, is now leading the race to seize the services of Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal.
Maitland-Niles has only played 11 games for Arsenal in the Premier League so far this season, and only five of them have started, according to data from Transfermarkt. As such, he is ready to be loaned until the end of the campaign, taking into account that it is not in Mikel Arteta’s plans for any position in the current first team.
West Bromwich Albion is also interested in the 23-year-old, but Mikel Arteta is said to be eager to see him move to St. Mary’s Stadium instead of the Hawthorns, thus putting Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in the driver’s seat.
It’s surprising that Maitland-Niles has been so underutilized so far this season, especially considering the Gunners turned down a £ 15m offer from Wolverhampton for him last summer ( Sky Sports ). The versatile English player has made 121 appearances for the Gunners during his career to date.
A versatile piece for a growing team
He is a versatile player who can play both midfield and right back, and Ralph Hasenhuttl could take advantage of that. The Austrian manager could use central midfield coverage for James Ward-Prowse, while Maitland-Niles could also provide an alternative to Kyle Walker-Peters, who is currently injured.
As we approach the end of the season, this could be a fantastic signing for the Saints. It remains to be seen if they can do anything before the transfer window closes.
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