Arsenal have lots of signings to make this summer, but they also need to sell players in order to trim the squad and raise funds.
One player who is likely to be expendable is Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Arsenal allowed the versatile 23-year-old to go out on loan in January, but he failed to show anything at West Brom that Mikel Arteta didn’t already know about the player.
Watford and Southampton are now both set to make moves to sign Maitland-Niles next week according to The Mirror.
It will be welcome news to Arsenal who need to raise money and it seems the player is not in Arteta’s long-term plans.
Arsenal rejected a £15million bid from Wolves for Maitland-Niles last summer and the Gunners will be keen to try and raise at least that amount this season.
Any money raised will likely go towards the signings of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Ben White, who Arsenal are working hard to sign.
Maitland-Niles will prove a useful addition to any squad. His ability to play at right back, left back, central midfield and even on the wings, gives any manager great flexibility.
If Maitland-Niles ends up at Watford, he won’t have to go far. The Premier League newcomers training ground is right next to Arsenal’s!