Nottingham Forest are reportedly exploring a move to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is free to leave Arsenal in the summer.
According to The Mirror, Nottingham Forest are looking to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the summer transfer window. The newly-promoted Premier League outfit are keen to strengthen their squad to fight in the top-flight and are eyeing the Arsenal utility man to bring the experience required by Steve Cooper.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s curious time at Arsenal may be coming to a disappointing end. The player has constantly been at odds with the club and at least two managers regarding his position, with Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta preferring him as a full-back, while he wanted to play in midfield.
There have been cold clashes regarding the issue, and Arteta has sent him out on loan at least twice. After Arsenal’s FA Cup success, Maitland-Niles was primed to have a fantastic season, only for his form to dip considerably and then leave the club on loan for West Bromwich Albion.
Last season, Maitland-NIles played a few games in his preferred midfield position and was impressive. However, much to the surprise of many supporters, Arsenal decided to oblige his request for a move away as AS Roma signed him on a six-month loan deal.
That spell did not go to plan as Maitland-Niles endured an underwhelming time in the Italian capital, despite playing regularly under Jose Mourinho. Roma are unlikely to make his move permanent, and the versatile Englishman is set to return to Arsenal. Meanwhile, the Serie A club are already close to signing Nemanja Matic as their new midfielder.
Roma are also looking at Hector Bellerin for the right-back position, a role which Maitland-Niles played for most of his time at the club. However, the Arsenal utility man is now pencilled in for a return to England, where he could be attracting interest from clubs.
Nottingham Forest reportedly want to sign Maitland-Niles, as Steve Cooper wants to bring in quality players to lead the fight in the top flight. The Arsenal utility man could be considered for a starting role next season and benefit from regular playing time.
Arsenal are open to letting him leave in the summer, with Maitland-Niles having one year left on his existing deal. The player’s Arsenal career seems to be over, and the Gunners could be bracing for offers to arrive in the summer.
Forest could explore how much the north Londoners would demand for the versatile player and may consider him a priority signing. The newly-promoted Premier League club will also be targeting other players in a different position, while they might lose key stars like Djed Spence, who was on loan at the club during the past season.
