Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been assured he remains in Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s plans following clear-the-air talks.
Sportsmail reported on Monday how Arteta had ignored the England international’s pleas to join Everton, who had made a formal offer to take the versatile player on loan with an option to buy, after the Gunners had blocked the move.
Maitland-Niles, who is yet to start for Arsenal this season, took to Instagram to express his frustration at the club’s stance, a step that disappointed Arteta.
The situation escalated this morning as it emerged Maitland-Niles was facing the prospect of having to train away from the first-team following Monday’s developments.
But the player and Arteta held constructive talks on this afternoon during which Maitland-Niles was told he will feature in the club’s plans this season.
There was still a chance on Monday afternoon that the 24-year-old could still leave the Emirates Stadium, but he will now remain in north London until at least January.
Maitland-Niles has told Arteta he wants to play right-back this season, the position he was playing when he broke into the England set-up in 2020.
However, he has three players ahead of him in the pecking order in that position. New signing Nuno Tavares - who is primarily a left back - Callum Chambers and Cedric Soares have all played in front Maitland-Niles at right-back this season.
He has played just 19 minutes this season, coming on during the crushing 5-0 defeat against Manchester City on Saturday, and had grown frustrated having made just five starts the previous campaign. He was subsequently loaned to West Bromwich Albion in January, making 12 appearances for the Baggies.
Maitland-Niles, who joined Arsenal at the age of six, made no secret of his desire to leave and secure regular first team action, writing in an Instagram story post: '‘All I wanna do is go where I'm wanted and where I'm gonna play.’
The saga took another turn this week after reports he had been banished from first team training after going public with his demands to quit.
The Mirror claimed he was told to conduct his sessions away from the rest of the squad following his outburst. Arteta was already disappointed with his player over his post, having previously killed off hopes of a move to Goodison Park in a face-to-face meeting.
The possibility of Maitland-Niles being successful at a direct rival may have influenced the club’s decision to keep him, however it is understood the 24-year-old left the meeting confused as to why the club had vetoed his move up north.
Having arrived believing the meeting would primarily be about resolving his future; it is understood Arteta was at pains to express his disappointment at the player’s social media post.
During the last window Arsenal blocked a potential move to Liverpool and Leicester before allowing Maitland-Niles to join relegation threatened West Bromwich.
In the summer 2020 window, Arsenal refused to sanction a deal for Maitland-Niles to join Wolves.