Kevin Campbell is delighted that Ainsley Maitland-Niles finally left Arsenal in search of regular first-team football.
The Gunners academy graduate had been an important part of their first-team plans at the start of the season, but he fell down the pecking other as the season progressed.
As of last month, he was hardly in the first-team picture and the Gunners agreed to allow him to join West Brom on loan for the rest of the season.
After earning an England call up last year, the midfielder wants to play for his country in the Euros this summer.
He would need more playing time to achieve that, and it should come during his time with the Baggies.
Campbell says he has made the right decision, as he would now be able to play more often and in his favoured central midfield position.
“Maitland-Niles is an England international,” he told Football Insider.
“He knows that if he wants to get in the squad for the Euros he needs to play between now and the end of the season.
“He also wants to play in centre-midfield and he has struggled to get any game time in that position for Arsenal.
“West Brom lost at Sheffield United so I would expect him to go straight into the starting eleven for Spurs. I think it is a great move for him.”
During the remainder of the season we will hopefully learn if AMN and Joe Willock can make the grade in their preferred midfield positions.I hope they both prove to Arteta that they have a real future at Arsenal, despite his apparent lack of trust.As Arsenal fans, their individual performances is what we should focus on regardless of the respective results of WBA and Newcastle.
I’m somewhat sad about AMN going on loan. I watched him develop in the EL and had some great games. This season he has had a poor first half. But to his credit when focused, he offers more than the ineffective defender Bellerin who despite his obvious physical deficiencies after numerous injuries remains our No.1 right back.
Without Saka helping him he is useless and yet again he will start against Villa and Grealish, after suffering a torrid games at the Emirates. AMN much better defender against tricky strong attackers whereas Bellerin often stays high up the pitch. For me that is No no.