Southampton fans react to reported loan interest in Arsenal player Ainsley Maitland-Niles

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Southampton are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan – and some of the Saints supporters on Twitter are excited by the speculation.

According to the Athletic, Southampton have joined the pursuit to sign the 23-year-old on loan.

It is explained that the Saints want to try take him to St Mary’s this month during the January window and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would prefer Southampton as a destination over his other suitors West Brom.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton have made contact about the possible loan swoop, plus one of the teams sat fourth in the Premier League are also interested.

Maitland-Niles came from the Arsenal youth ranks as a central midfielder, but he’s so versatile and has played various different positions at first-team level.

He’s currently an option at left-back for England’s senior team, plus he can play at right-back or anywhere across the midfield.

A lack of starts this season domestically has seen him linked with a loan move away and he’ll hope that can help him keep his spot in the England squad.

A selection of Southampton fans on social media are convinced Maitland-Niles ticks all the boxes for them and would be a success.

They are currently 11th in the league table, but only six points behind fifth-placed West Ham.

Here are some Southampton fans discussing Arsenal player Maitland-Niles:

https://twitter.com/CallumSFC18/status/1355155799069351936

https://twitter.com/andrewhal20/status/1355243299938963457

https://twitter.com/neuhausenmatt/status/1355167093457637382