Maitland-Niles has three years left on his Arsenal deal
Last updated: 10/20/20 2:36 PM
Ainsley Maitland-Niles could leave Arsenal this summer
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is set to leave Arsenal this summer as three clubs are preparing to bid for him.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to raise funds to fund the club’s recruitment campaign before next season.
Despite 32 appearances during an extended 2019/20 campaign, Maitland-Niles could be one of the players Arteta is ready to hear offers for.
It is assumed that two undisclosed Premier League clubs and one undisclosed Bundesliga team are preparing offers for the 22-year-old.
Maitland-Niles, who can play in midfield or defense – but tells Sky Sports This midfield was his preferred position last season – with Arsenal since he was six, where he graduated from the club’s Hale End Academy.
He made his 100th appearance for Arsenal in a 2-1 FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley earlier this month.
Maitland-Niles, who represented England in youth, has three more years at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta is keen to put his own stamp on the Arsenal squad after leading them to FA Cup success last season
Arteta: Maitland-Niles is ‘incredible quality’
When asked about reports last month about what Maitland-Niles was going for, Arteta said, “I don’t read them so I don’t know anything about them.
“I talk to the players about how they are feeling and how we can help them. When they have trouble again, I talk to them and make it easier for them.
“He’s a player who can play in a lot of different positions. I think we’ve been discussing things that he can improve or adapt to his game because he is of incredible quality.”
“He has every quality it takes to be a football player to play at the highest level and he just needs to be a little more consistent, but he is someone who can adapt to any position too.”
Arsenal joins Chelsea’s Willian
Meanwhile, Arteta is on the verge of signing former Chelsea winger Willian for a free transfer.
The 32-year-old announced on Sunday that he would be leaving Chelsea after his contract expired and is expected to sign a three-year deal with Arsenal.
“Willian wants a big final deal – ideally a three-year deal to bring him to 35,” he said Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol. “Chelsea would like to keep him although they won’t be offering him three years.
Willian’s Chelsea Premier League rankings since debuting in 2013
“Right now it looks like Arsenal’s most likely target, but he’s a free agent and realistically at his age you’ll likely go where the most money and longest contract are.”
“He’s got a great injury record so his agent will say, ‘Don’t worry about his fitness’.”
Aubameyang wants to sign a new contract
Arsenal’s pursuit of Willian comes as they attempt to seal a new deal for captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is on the verge of renewing his contract, which currently expires in the summer of 2021.
The 31-year-old Aubameyang scored 22 goals in the Premier League last season and scored two goals in the Cup final against Chelsea.
Since moving from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal in January 2018, he has scored 54 goals in 85 Premier League games.
The news of the Arsenal’s offers to Aubameyang and Willian comes after the club issued a statement revealing its plan to lay off 55 employees, including international recruiting specialist Francis Cagigao.
Arsenal said one of the main reasons for cuts was “to keep investing in the team”.
Summer transfer window – important dates and times
The summer transfer window runs for 10 weeks from July 27th and ends at 11pm on October 5th.
A domestic-only window of trading between the Premier League and the EFL will then run from October 5 and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 16. Keep track of all the news and analysis Sky Sports news and over Sky Sports‘digital platforms, including our dedicated Transfer Center blog.
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