Arsenal receive welcome Ainsley Maitland-Niles Premier League interest

As Arsenal enter a summer set for wholesale change, there are a few members of the squad it is universally agreed need moving on. Many of those are away on loan duty, including Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is drumming up Premier League interest.

The writing has been on the wall for Maitland-Niles ever since last summer. Putting in a marvelous shift as Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties to lift the Community Shield, the question was even posed to him post-match on whether he would stay with a bid from Wolves lurking in the background ready to take him north.

Mikel Arteta opted against selling the Hale Ender and insisted he would be given minutes to prove his worth, only for those to dissipate shortly after the season began with Europa League group matches his only certain starts.

Unused and unwilling to play at full-back, West Brom came knocking in January to offer him the midfield berth he has been craving – turning down Southampton in the process who saw him as right-back competition.

Arsenal receive welcome Ainsley Maitland-Niles Premier League interest from Southampton, Leeds, Everton and Manchester United

The Baggies are now relegated and he won’t be staying permanently, but he’s done enough to garner attention from no less than four Premier League sides, which is precisely what Arsenal would have wanted.

As per Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Southampton (again), Leeds, Everton and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on the 23-year-old. It’s even thought Leicester and Wolves may return.

The former two of those have been impressed by his outings as a No. 8 for West Brom and would like to secure his signature with an eye on playing him in midfield, while the latter two are in the Gunners’ boat by identifying his strengths at right-back.

Even if he performed a u-turn on wanting to play at full-back, which was alluded to previously, Arsenal would still have to sell him for vital financial injection.

More interest leads to additional offers which will only help boost his price, one that is already higher than someone of a similar age and profile given his homegrown status. Throw in versatility, a trait every club across the world admires, and Arsenal should fetch a decent enough fee with his contract expiring in 2023.

Arsenal? In a strong position to sell? Loan deal with no buy option to Watford incoming.