ARSENAL have put Ainsley Maitland-Niles up for sale in a desperate bid to raise money – just days after he helped win them the FA Cup.
Maitland-Niles has become the first high-profile casualty of the club’s post-Covid-19 cost-cutting exercise, which has already seen them make 55 staff members redundant.
Arsenal have put Ainsley Maitland-Niles (left) up for sale with the club desperate to raise money for Mikel Arteta’s rebuildCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The Gunners are looking for bids of around £30million for the versatile midfielder as they scramble around for funds to finance a rebuilding programme under boss Mikel Arteta.
The decision will come as a shock to many who saw the 22-year-old academy product as an important figure in the club’s future going forward.
Maitland-Niles made 32 appearances for Arsenal last season, including nine following the restart of the season, so was clearly highly thought of by Arteta.
The Spanish boss even decided to start the London-born player in the FA Cup Final win over Chelsea ahead of the much-rated Bukayo Saka as part of a key tactical decision for the game.
Maitland-Niles was superb in the FA Cup final and was expected to be a big part of Arsenal’s futureCredit: PA:Press Association
Arteta exposed the alarming gaps in behind the Chelsea defence by instructing his players to hit Maitland-Niles out on the left at every opportunity.
But Arteta has been told he needs to cash in on some players to help finance the new contract for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as bring in new faces over the close season.
And with the likes of Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi not commanding much value in the transfer market it has been decided Maitland-Niles has to be sacrificed to at least bring in some decent money.
Jamie OHara slams Arsenal’s redundancy plans and Aubameyang pay rise
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
