The Arsenal academy product Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who has been with the Gunners for a decade, has finally announced his intention to leave the club without a transfer fee this summer. The 25-year-old midfielder has faced limited playing time at Emirates Stadium in recent years and spent this season on loan to Southampton, while also playing for Roma and West Brom in the previous two campaigns. Although his next destination is unknown, Maitland-Niles has informed the fans that his time with Arsenal has come to a close.
According to reports, Southampton had an option to purchase Maitland-Niles at the end of his loan period, but Arsenal’s decision to release him has rendered that option void. He has only played the whole 90 minutes in 11 league games for the Saints in this campaign and is facing an uncertain future, especially if the Saints get relegated. Arsenal’s supporters will undoubtedly be sad to see the young talent leave, but Maitland-Niles has stated that it is time for him to move on to new challenges in his career.
“It’s been a great journey but it has come to an end now (at Arsenal). It’s time for a fresh start and to find a new home. I’m looking forward to that but, at the same time, my head’s not quite there yet and it’s all about what’s happening now with Southampton,” he told The Athletic.
“I’m just fully focused on trying to help us stay up and stay positive on a day-to-day basis and win games. When the time gets closer towards the end of the season, I’ll have something else to think about. But right now, I’m just focused on football and the task at hand.
“Southampton is a great club to be at and progress and get some minutes under my belt. Of course, if they were to make an offer, I’ll be more than happy to stay.”
As I said, there is no certainty that he will be given a contract at lowly Southampton, and it is a real shame that his future is unclear after showing such great promise with Arsenal as a youngster….
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I am a little disappointed by this. He could have been a great squad player and this boy has talent. I guess he never surrounded himself with the right people.
Gutted😭
No matter what, a man who his mother has taken the pains to raise him up as a single mother. And later in life he becomes successful and is leaving in posh. But he should not forget about his mother’s welfare to abandoned her to the cold in a container make-shift accommodation home. When he is more than in a position to buy for her a decent house to live in. And be supporting her financially to help her take care of her needs.
SAA, I too found AMN’s treatment of his mother unfathomable.
To judge him because of that is totally unfair. His mother could have been the reason he grew up without a father!
This dude was doomed the day he put his mother out in the cold.
It is with great sadness I read this peice, a youngster that had showed so much promise.
But the club may have done him a favor by making it easier for him to find hisself a permanent home, playing regularly.
Maybe he should look to wet his bread abroad, where the going is a lot easier
I see AM-N as simply just another player who came through our ranks but failed to reach the quality we need to keep him. Simple as that! So many fans have tried to find excuses for him but I see simply another prospect, who when he grew older, failed to make the required grade That is the bottom line.
I am different from many fans who seem to find it impossible to simply be honest and admit that certain home grown players have reached their level but that level is BELOW what we need.
Pointless trying to big up lesser players; better by far to accept they are not good enough and let them move on, without constantly hoping they will still make the grade, when its plain they never will.
Disagree with you on this one. AMN had the talent to make it as a very good full back. He did not surround himself with the right people to progress. His head ain’t right even now. He thought his position was a midfielder when he plainly was a full back just like Walcott thought he was a striker when he was with us and he was a winger.
IGL, So you think that a player who is good enough, in your opinion, but has failed to make our team, is just failing because he has surrounded himself with the wrong people.
Well, for the sake of argument, I will assume -though in reality I do not see other than basic lack of top level abilityas the real reason – that he HAS chosen his companions unwisely as being the MAIN reason for his comparative failure.
So does it not occur to you that wisdom in life style choices and in carefully choosing ones friends, is a key part of the inate intelligence NECESSARY to become a top player?
It did for Wilshere too, as we all saw. It seems not have occurred to you, my muddled friend! To be clear, OBVIOUSLY, choosing imature friends does not help. BUT any player who has the necessary drive and ability will always make it.
But he has not made it and lack of basic ability, allied to lesser inate intelligence are the prime reasons. BUT MAINLY, LACK OF ABILITY!!
The greatest problem with AMN is that he lacks self awareness. Period.