Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has told Football.London that Ainsley Maitland-Niles has a future at the club.
A recent report in The Athletic claimed that Maitland-Niles does not think that he does not have a long-term future at the club.
It has been claimed that the 22-year-old – who can operate as a midfielder, winger, full-back or wing-back – has come to the conclusion that he has to leave the Gunners in order to play regular first-team football and is ready to do so, according to the report.
However, Arsenal boss Arteta has made it clear that he wants the youngster to stay and has raved about him.
Arteta told Football.London when asked if Maitland-Niles has a future at Arsenal: “Yes, maybe he didn’t play as much as I wanted him to play but I played him in many different positions and in very important games as well.”
The Arsenal boss added about the youngster: “He’s a player who can play in many different positions, we have discussed the things in my opinion that he can improve or adapt to his game because he has incredible quality.
“He has every quality that you need to be a football player to play the highest level and he just needs to do it in a little bit more of a consistent way, but he is someone who can adapt to any position as well.”
Stats
According to WhoScored, Maitland-Niles has made 14 starts and five substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal this season, providing two assists in the process.
The 22-year-old also made four starts and two substitute appearances in the Europa League for the Gunners this campaign, according to WhoScored.
The former England Under-21 international made 11 starts and five substitute appearances in the league for the North London outfit during the 2018-19 campaign, scoring one goal and providing two assist in the process, according to WhoScored.
Last season, Maitland-Niles made nine starts and one substitute appearance in the Europa League for Arsenal, scoring one goal and providing two assists in the process, according to WhoScored.
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