Arsenal opportunity may arise for Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Does Ainsley Maitland-Niles Have a Future at Arsenal?

Arsenal will sign another midfielder. Of this there is no doubt. They simply have to and it would be catastrophic if they didn’t.

Looking at the options, however, if Willock does leave as he’s heavily rumoured to be doing, all of the midfielders left are behind the ball players. They’re No. 6’s of some variety.

Miguel Azeez, who wasn’t mentioned earlier, has strong technical qualities but still classifies much more as a No. 6, while Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka will be moved on. Even they are behind the ball midfielders.

Links to Manuel Locatelli, Ruben Neves and Yves Bissouma don’t help alter the variety in the middle of the park. Whoever comes in to join Partey in midfield, based on the rumours, looks more likely to be of the Neves ilk.

And so with Willock gone there is only Maitland-Niles to break that mould. With two years left on his deal this is prime selling time and the debate over whether he’s of the standard required to be playing in midfield for Arsenal remains potent, but it does hint towards some potential involvement.

Add to that rumours of a Cedric and Hector Bellerin departure and, while it’s not what he wants, he could even add cover at right-back.

Maitland-Niles is an Arsenal fan and if he can stay he will want to, but being a bit-part option may not suffice. He’s desperate to forge a career as a No. 8 and nobody can knock his determination yet the promise of a few minutes at his boyhood club might not match regular Premier League outings elsewhere.

Furthermore, he’d have to pen fresh terms for this to even be a consideration and his signature is one of precious few Arsenal can be commanding around £20m for.

Fans aren’t privy to what is said behind the scenes but looking at the midfield eventuality, both Willock and Maitland-Niles going leaves a pool of No. 6’s and not much else.

Is there much hope for him? Not especially, but it’s far from clear cut.