Everton must act quickly and sign midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles with Arsenal ready to sell
Everton need to react sharply and force themselves into the frame to sign Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles, as he is set to be on the move.
The Toffees were after the man who spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan with Roma last summer, but his deadline day loan move was blocked by the club last year [Metro].
As per The Mirror, Arsenal are now ready to let the England international leave the club in the summer transfer window.
He is being attracting interest from the likes of newly-promoted side Nottingham Forest and therefore, if Everton want to sign the player, they must make a move quickly.
Multi-functional player
Maitland-Niles is a player who can be accommodated in every system and formation. He can play as a central midfielder in case Frank Lampard wants to overload the centre of the pitch.
He can also play as a wing-back in case the former Chelsea manager shifts to a back-three formation. At Arsenal his great performances once pushed him ahead of Hector Bellerin in the pecking order.
This versatility would mean a lot to Lampard as he cannot afford to go into another season with a depleted squad.
Despite having only eight appearances for AS Roma, the England international averaged 1 tackle and 0.8 interceptions per game.
In season-and-a-half under Unai Emery, Maitland-Niles averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game. [WhoScored].
Everton had the fifth-worst record in the Premier League in 2021-22, conceding 66 goals and having a goal difference of -23 [Sky Sports].
To overcome their defensive crisis, they would need strong defenders that can nullify the opponent’s threats. Maitland-Niles might be exactly that as he can play as a covering fullback as well.
In other Everton news, Harry Redknapp has told the club to “gamble” on this superstar this summer
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