David Ornstein is touted as a man in the know at Arsenal, and on his latest podcast he has claimed that Ainsley Maitland-Niles could be close to the end of his time with the club.
The 22 year-old has been at the club since the tender age of six, but could now find himself in search of a new home with the chance that playing time at the Emirates could become limited. Ornstein claims that this may have been the player’s own undoing however.
“I heard some suggestions, a long time ago now, that {Maitland-Niles} had expressed a desire or a preference not to be playing at right-back, and that he favours a central midfield position,” Ornstein told The Athletic podcast.
“Mikel Arteta isn’t particularly receptive to players indicating where they want to play. They will play where they’re told to play, and for the good of the team.
“Since then, I don’t know the exact conversations that have gone on, but he hasn’t been playing very much.
“One other suggestion I got was that he has been late for a couple of training sessions. Certainly, Arteta would not like that, given the discipline and behaviour, and respect and culture that’s so important to him.
“Some people around Arsenal feel that it could be done for Ainsley Maitland-Niles at Arsenal. We don’t know for a fact. I’m just reflecting on suggestions I’ve heard”
I personally have watched Maitland-Niles impress on a number of occasions this season, albeit at right-back (or right wing-back), and should the decision on his future be about ability I wouldn’t be ready to drop him just yet.
If reports are true about him looking to move into a central role then maybe the player himself will push to leave the club, but how will he tell his agent that he wants him to find a club that will play him in a role he has rarely been seen in?
It’s all rather complicated, but he is far from irreplaceable. It is just a shame that having spent more than two-thirds of his life at the club he could now move on long before he has peaked.
Would you keep Maitland-Niles on his performances over the past couple of seasons? Has he shown enough to warrant a claim for a midfield role?
Patrick
