Wolves signing this 100-cap Arsenal ace for £20m would be a fantastic start to their summer window

Why Ainsley Maitland-Niles would be a fantastic signing for Wolves

According to The Guardian, Wolves are currently in negotiations with Arsenal over a £20million deal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Newcastle United are also in the race to sign the 22-year-old utility starlet but Wolves are in pole position to beat off competition for his signature, as per the report. 

It has been claimed that the youngster is willing to move on in search of more regular game time and Arsenal are willing to cash in on their academy graduate to raise some valuable funds.

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A product of Arsenal’s youth system, Ainsley Maitland-Niles made his Champions League and Premier League debut back during the 2014-15 season at the tender age of 17. 

The youngster spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Ipswich Town in the Championship and featured sporadically for the Gunners in the following campaign before securing a more prominent role in the 2017-18 Premier League season.

The England U-21 international has progressed by leaps and bounds to evolve into a reliable utility player for the North London outfit. He has featured in multiple positions across the pitch, first under Unai Emery and then Mikel Arteta. 

Maitland-Niles finished the 2019-20 season with 32 appearances across all competitions, including 15 starts in the Premier League. He made his 100th appearance for Arsenal in the 2019-20 FA Cup final, featuring as a starter as the Gunners beat Chelsea 2-1.

Why Wolves need him

Wolves have exceeded all expectations following their promotion to the Premier League back in 2018, securing back-to-back 7th-place finishes under the charismatic stewardship of Nuno Espirito Santo. 

The Midlands outfit also went all the way through to the quarter-final of the UEFA Europa League last season, which can be seen as a significant achievement as well. Now, the next realistic target for Wolves should be to challenge for a top-six finish in the Premier League in the upcoming campaign that would guarantee them a return to Europe. 

To do that, Nuno Santo needs to add more depth and quality to his ranks, especially with fixtures set to come thick and fast until Christmas due to the delayed start of the season. 

The club’s lack of depth beyond first-choice Matt Doherty in the right wing-back department has been a nagging issue and that is exactly the reason why the arrival of a versatile player like Ainsley Maitland-Niles could hand a massive boost to the manager’s squad dynamics.

The 21-year-old has featured at right-back, wing-back, central midfield, and in wide attacking roles for Arsenal over the past few years. He seems like the perfect fit for Wolves’ counter-attacking brand of football under Nuno Espirito Santo.

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Verdict

Maitland-Niles would not only provide Doherty with some much-needed cover and competition at right wing-back but his ability to operate further up the pitch as an out-and-out winger should also be an appealing factor. Plus, he has already played 100 senior games for Arsenal, meaning the England U-21 star has a fair bit of experience at the highest level.

The 22-year-old still has his best years ahead of him and Wolves completing a deal for the Gunners starlet could well pay off handsomely for their long-term plans.