Ainsley Maitland-Niles reacts after Arsenal reject Everton bid
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is seeking showdown talks with Mikel Arteta after Arsenal rejected a bid from Everton today, according to Paul Joyce.
The Times journalist, writing via his personal Twitter profile on Monday afternoon, claims the five-cap England international wants to move to Goodison Park before the transfer window slams shut on Tuesday evening.
Joyce said: “Arsenal have said to Maitland-Niles they now want him to stay. The player wants to move to Everton and is looking to speak to Mikel Arteta about the situation.”
Fast pace
It seems negotiations are moving at a rapid rate for Maitland-Niles, but that’s probably to be expected as clubs bid to beat the dreaded deadline on Tuesday midnight.
No sooner had news emerged that the Blues had made a loan offer with a view to a permanent deal, than Arsenal responded with a firm no.
Maitland-Niles, however, doesn’t look to have taken it too well, and is seeking talks with Arsenal boss Arteta over the situation.
Perhaps Arsenal’s recent defeats in the Premier League, all three of them, have convinced the Spaniard that he needs to keep the 24-year-old around at the Emirates Stadium this season as he looks to address the glaring issues at the north London club.
We’re in the day of players taking ownership over their careers and trying to force moves, so perhaps his insistence to leave Arsenal will count for something in this instance.
Everton could do with support in midfield and at right-back, so Maitland-Niles ticks a lot of boxes.
In other Everton news, Blues respond as club makes late approach to sign this Goodison ace amid ‘Domino effect’ fears.
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