Ornstein: West Brom ‘pushing hard’ for £35k/wk PL ace also wanted by top 4 side
West Brom are chasing a loan deal for Arsenal utility man Ainsley Maitland-Niles but face big competition for the 23-year-old, according to David Ornstein.
Maitland-Niles has only started five Premier League games this season and will be looking for regular game time if he is to stand any chance of making Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships this summer.
He is naturally a midfielder but has featured as a wing-back on both sides of the pitch to show his true versatility.
Ornstein reports that Albion are ‘pushing hard’ to sign Maitland-Niles on loan for the rest of the campaign but face interest from a ‘current top four side’ while other suitors could emerge.
Indeed The Athletic report goes further to say that Arsenal have reservations about Maitland-Niles being involved in a relegation battle with a club playing a very different brand of football.
With Sam Allardyce keen on strengthening in midfield and at full-back it would be a handy move from West Brom but one that appears unlikely at the moment given the Gunners’ preference for the £35,000 per week [spotrac] star to join a current top-four side.
Get it done
A move for Maitland-Niles would certainly be a big coup if Big Sam can pull it off.
This is a player who has gained five caps to his name in the past year and can operate in a number of different positions to a high level.
Per WhoScored he averaged one dribble per game in 20 Premier League appearances for Arsenal last season and 1.2 in 2018/19.
The only Albion players with a higher total per game this season are Grady Diangana (1.5) and Matheus Pereira (1.3) so Maitland-Niles would certainly bring some drive and trickery to the ailing Baggies.
He would be a significant upgrade on Darnell Furlong at right back while offering cover on the other side with injury issues of Conor Townsend and Kieran Gibbs this season.
But it is in the middle of midfield where he could also offer an abundance of energy alongside Conor Gallagher with Albion currently playing the cumbersome duo of Romaine Sawyers and Jake Livermore.
If a deal can be pursued for Maitland-Niles then West Brom must be all over it.
In other West Brom news, Lingard makes decision on PL loan move.
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