Transfer Centre

Mikel Arteta 'overruled by Arsenal board over Ainsley Maitland-Niles future'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 08 August 2020

Arteta 'overruled by Arsenal board over Maitland-Niles future'

Arsenal reportedly place Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the transfer list despite Mikel Arteta's wishes to keep the Englishman at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles has reportedly been put up for sale against the wishes of manager Mikel Arteta.

The Englishman became a key player for the Gunners towards the end of the campaign and was named in the starting XI for Arsenal's FA Cup final victory over Chelsea at Wembley.

However, Maitland-Niles's long-term future at the Emirates Stadium remains shrouded in uncertainty ahead of next season, with Brighton & Hove Albion supposedly eyeing a swoop for the versatile 22-year-old.

According to The Telegraph, Arteta informed the Arsenal hierarchy of his wishes to keep Maitland-Niles on the books, but the Englishman has nevertheless been transfer-listed as Gunners chiefs look to raise funds for a proposed £100m summer spending spree.

In order to tie captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang down to a new contract and succeed in their pursuits of Willian and Thomas Partey, Arteta will likely be resigned to losing several players during the summer transfer window.

Maitland-Niles, who has a contract with Arsenal until 2023, will reportedly be allowed to leave the Emirates for a fee in the region of £20m.