Arsenal are in talks with Roma over a deal to allow Ainsley Maitland-Niles to join Roma on loan with an option to buy.
The midfielder has started just two Premier League matches this term, and nobody could blame him for considering his options ahead of the winter window.
Arsenal should be able to guarantee him some playing time in the coming months however, with both Mo Elneny and Thomas Partey set to join up with their international sides for the AFCON tournament.
While allowing one of our midfield options to leave in January must seem a crazy thought considering our lack of strength in that role, latest reports seems to claim that we are negotiating with Roma to allow AMN to join them on loan with an option to buy.
AS Roma are offering a six-month loan deal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles plus buy option around €10m, José Mourinho wants him. Player’s open to accept. 🏴 #ASRoma #AFC
Negotiations still ongoing with Arsenal to reach the agreement on loan fee, buy option and final price.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 26, 2021
If true, his departure will leave a hole in our squad which will need filling. It could be that we are looking at the transfer market to bring in a new CM, or one of our youngsters or loanees could well be set to get their chances.
While I believe many would be excited to hear that young Charlie Patino was deemed ready for the step-up, we should still need another option during the AFCON, although the manager could believe that Odegaard could play deeper, or Calum Chambers could potentially play in midfield as he has done previously.
Does it make any sense to allow AMN leave? Where do you think his most likely replacement would come from?
Patrick
THE JUST ARSENAL SHOW – Dan Smith has a rant over Arteta and ‘Players Welfare”
Wilshere is the cover
Brilliant idea.
AMN never plays so is essentially stealing 45k p/w and so his leaving is no loss.
He fills a quota slot no more no less.
Without European football Niles like Holding Mari Chambers Cedric have become surplus to requirements. Playing for Roma would add signicant value to his asking price and at the very least give him valuable European experience.
Make it so
BTW. Take Kolasinac with him.
Say hello to Mkhitarian and Smalling
Just don’t mention the Xhaka deal 🙂
I wonder if he is becoming troublesome in the locker room.?
Holding and Cedric are the first players to cover RB or CB, so they shouldn’t go without being replaced
The disappointment with AMN is that he’s looked very good when given the chance this season, so it’s possible we’re throwing away a very good player for well below his value. In an ideal world, elneny would be going before him, and his wages are probably a bit higher, but that’s how it goes sometimes
Do you know what’s brilliant Fairfan, when we could’ve got 20mil for him.
Poor asset management by MA after promising him a role in the team lied and cost us cash.
It’s a fact, whatever you say
Watch Jose get the best out of him and expose his true potential talents. IJS
Just like he did with the players at Spurs and Man Utd? AMN could be an effective RWB ,but other than that position, he is very limited.He ought to have been moved on some time ago imo.
@Grandad
But he was more effective in midfield.
MU and Spuds players, are all wannabe primadonnas.
I see you didn’t mention the wonders he worked with Benfica, Porto, Inter and Chelsea players…
Why didn’t we just let him go to Wolves?
Because he was promised an active role in the team 🤣
Some fans even cried when we sold Willock. Where are those fans now?
We seem to question every decision MA takes
Please define exactly who “we” are! I for one am definitely NOT included in your “we”!
Good luck to AMN. It would be a mistake not to sign a replacement, realistically we’re probably looking at sanches or zakaria but I’d love us to make a big statement and knock at Leicester’s door for ndidi and offer £40-50M for him and then go activate Alexander Isak’s release clause at Real Sociedad, but I now I’m being greedy😜
Quote:”Where would his replacement come from?”
Why does the writer even think we need a replacement for a failed player who hardly ever plays and whom we do not want to stay.
We DO need more top quality players in midfield, that is obvious, but we do NOT need a replacement for AMN.
A very strange decision, anyone with half a brain can see letting AMN (whose last game for us was fantastic) go on loan when we lose two of our Midfield squad for the Afcon is ludicrous. The only reason for it is we MUST have an immediate replacement coming in. I wonder who?
Jack apparently Reggie 🤔
Dan, that cant happen. Can it?
I must have missed the game where AMN was “fantastic” Reggie .Who were we playing ?
Watford Grandad, he and Lakonga were excellent in the absence of Partey and Xhaka. Probably the most dominant we have been in midfield or at least one of. He played really well but hasn’t had a look in since.
I honestly missed that match, but I’ll take your word on his performance.I remember him playing really well in midfield at Old Trafford I think 3 seasons ago, and at that time I had high hopes for him.Sadly , for one reason or another, he has not kicked on .
Giving him more game time than he has had may have helped. Since Watford for whatever reason he has been left to rot basically.