‘Medical soon’: Fabrizio Romano shares transfer update for Arsenal fans

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles is reportedly closing in on a move to Southampton.

Fabrizio Romano has taken to Twitter to claim that the Gunners ace is in ongoing talks over a loan with buying option.

In addition, Arsenal will extend Maitland-Niles’ contract, added the transfer insider.

Maitland-Niles’s current deal expires next summer, but the Gunners have an option to extend it by 12 more months.

A medical will take place “soon”, concluded Romano.

Maitland-Niles has become surplus to requirements under Mikel Arteta.

The Arsenal boss hasn’t picked the 25-year-old in a single Premier League matchday squad this term.

Maitland-Niles has also taken in two loans in the last two seasons, at West Brom and then Roma.

“Getting better every time I see him”

While it looks as though Maitland-Niles doesn’t have a future at the Emirates, he’s a great player and can certainly do a job in the Premier League.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will be getting himself a quality player eager to prove himself after struggling for game time at Arsenal.

Maitland-Niles has played in a variety of positions over the years.

This has arguably hampered his development, but he did earn huge praise from Martin Keown at his best.

Keown said in 2020: “You rarely get a player with his pace in that role. I would have loved that as a player. He’s a Rolls-Royce of a player at times.

“There’s quality there, he’s growing and getting better every time I see him. I think he’s ready for that central position.”