Why Arsenal loan deal for Maitland-Niles makes sense

Arsenal are to complete their first piece of transfer business in the January window with Ainsley Maitland-Niles set to join AS Roma on a six-month loan deal.

Mikel Arteta has had to bid goodbye to four of his squad this month with Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all jetting off to AFCON shortly after the defeat to Manchester City.

Despite the non-involvement of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who the club are desperately trying to flog, and Nicolas Pepe, who wasn’t playing anyway, the loss of numbers in attack will impact the squad over the month.

However, it’s the departures of Elneny and Partey that leave the biggest hole, with Arteta having only three senior central midfielders to select from. Actually, make that two.

Why Arsenal loan deal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to join Roma with no option to buy makes sense – but it requires them completing another transfer

Maitland-Niles will join Jose Mourinho’s side on a loan deal, but despite early reports, it’s one that will not include either an option or an obligation to buy. Why, at this critical time, would you weaken the squad without any financial gain barring a loan fee?

It can actually make sense.

Roma were negotiating to include a €10m buy option in the deal, one Arsenal were not keen on as they favoured an obligation to buy for €15m. In the end, as confirmed by James Olley, the deal is a simple loan and the midfielder will return to Arsenal in the summer.

The reasons behind that are clear: Arsenal firmly believe that after six months of football in Serie A they can garner a greater fee than Roma’s initial €10m offer. Were that deal to be included and Maitland-Niles to have a storming spell in Italy then that price tag would be a bargain for Roma.

Arteta and co value Maitland-Niles higher, despite him having only 18 months left to run on his deal, and therefore feel some form of bidding war come the summer will see them raise a higher transfer fee.

That may come from Roma, who intend to raise funds by then to make a purchase, or elsewhere in the Premier League where €10m for a 24-year-old homegrown player is close to pittance. As per James Benge, Roma are going into this deal with a view to signing him permanently.

It doesn’t come without risk, however, as Arsenal are banking on Maitland-Niles finding form and featuring regularly for I Giallorossi, as well it obviously weakening of the squad in north London. Arsenal have to work on the basis that they will lose Partey and Elneny for five matches – including a two-legged semi-final against Liverpool and a North London Derby clash – and avoid injuries to Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka.

This is risky. Which is why it would be ludicrous to do nothing in response.

Whether Arsenal bring someone else in on loan, sign a player permanently or show unwavering faith in the likes of Charlie Patino and Miguel Azeez, they have to do something.

Internally there could be plans to move Benjamin White or Calum Chambers into midfield, revert to a single pivot or hand Jack Wilshere a short-term contract. But, really, they have to bring someone in.

At the moment, there are no obvious links, but it’s the only way letting Maitland-Niles leave on a simple loan makes any sense.