Mikel Arteta has a message for Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has told out-of-favour youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles how he can work his way back into his first-team plans.
The 22-year-old had become a regular for Arsenal under Unai Emery, but has seen less playing time since Arteta took over, though this has also coincided with the return from injury of Hector Bellerin.
It remains to be seen if Maitland-Niles is really good enough to form part of Arsenal’s future, especially when other academy graduates such as Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah have made such an immediate impression in their outings for the senior side.
Discussing Maitland-Niles, Arteta sent the player a clear message on what he has to do to get himself back in favour.
“Ainsley needs to put his head down, work hard and show me every day in training he wants it more than anybody else and that he wants to play for this club and fight for his place,” Arteta told football.london.
This seems fair enough from the Spanish tactician, and it’s good to see he’s demanding of everyone in his squad, as we truly cannot afford any passengers at the moment as we look to salvage something from this disappointing season.