November 09, (THEWILL) – Following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Watford, Ainsley Maitland-Niles says he is just thinking about the future and working hard.
As THEWILL reported, the 24-year-old pushed hard to leave the Gunners team and even wrote a desperate post on Instagram in the summer, stating, “All I wanna do is go where I’m wanted and where I’m gonna play.”
That occurred after Arsenal turned down Everton’s interest in a summer transfer, but it appears he has moved on and is ready to battle for his spot in north London.
“That’s all in the past now,” Maitland-Niles told reporters
“I am just thinking about the future and what’s ahead of me. It was great to be out there today, getting my minutes, and hopefully there is more to come.
“Yeah [I’m] always happy to be on the pitch and play, it’s a good feeling. Of course I’m looking for more minutes, I just need to keep my head down and keep going and working hard.”
Maitland-Niles has long envisioned himself as a central midfielder, but he has struggled to persuade Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta that this is his best position.
Instead, he has spent the majority of his time at Arsenal as a versatile wing-back, breaking into England’s squad after excelling on the left flank during Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph in 2020.
His start on Sunday came as a result of Thomas Partey’s injury, but it does show that Arteta now trusts him to play in the centre of the park. It will be interesting to see if he keeps his spot when the Ghanaian returns.
Maitland-Niles turned down a loan transfer to Southampton last season in favour of joining West Brom, who were willing to play him in midfield. The Baggies were demoted from the Premier League in the end and he returned to the Emirates where he has not decided to focus on staying.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
