Everton are interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles this summer, and the Toffees could be making an impressive cost-effective decision to bolster their squad.
The former Roma and Southampton loanee was a target for the Toffees prior to the January transfer window in 2022 [David Ornstein] but instead made the move to Serie A, before spending the 2022/23 campaign at St. Mary’s.
The Gunners confirmed his exit at the expiry of his contract on Friday (16 June), and Maitland-Niles is now a free agent at the end of this month with Everton one of a number of sides reportedly “keeping an eye” on him.
According to Football Transfers [18 June], the Maitland-Niles interest comes from the fact that planned contract talks with Tom Davies face being unsuccessful if the former Everton academy product rejects an extension to go in search of more game time elsewhere.
The 24-year-old’s own deal is set to expire at the end of June and has been offered new terms, yet the “general feeling” at Goodison Park is that he will still leave.
The Toffees are set to lose a number of their key stars already this summer, with Amadou Onana attracting plenty of interest, with Chelsea said to be readying a £55m move. Davies looks set to depart while the future of Idrissa Gueye is uncertain also, with his contract running out in the summer of 2024.
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Also, with Demarai Gray reportedly growing unhappy about his starting opportunities under Sean Dyche and open to leaving the club this season [Daily Mail, 12 June] and Alex Iwobi opening up on his ambitions to play in the Champions League, Everton will need key reinforcements and fast.
iNews reported on 7 June that Everton will be targeting the loan market and potential free agents in order to boost Dyche’s squad because of financial fair play, and the Toffees could well be saving millions by signing a player not only with plenty of Premier League experience, but a footballer with bags of quality, and professionalism which could aid Everton’s quest to climb the table next season.
Hailed as “excellent” by journalist Jacob Tanswell, after his performances for Southampton, Maitland-Niles will be desperate for first-team football next season and given his age profile and versatility, Dyche could be looking at a potential swiss-army knife for his squad, and what’s perfect is he comes for free.
The 25-yeard-old has proven an adept defender on numerous occasions for both Southampton and West Brom in his previous loan spells, as well as possessing the technical acumen to potentially thrive in a regular midfield role too.
In one of his most impressive performances in a Southampton shirt, against Chelsea last season, he made a whopping six tackles to stop Chelsea’s attack in their tracks, proving himself to be a phenomenal one-on-one defender. The Hale-End academy product also won a further nine ground duels and won 100% of his aerial battles while also succeeding with three of his four dribbles showcasing his complete ability wherever he is placed in the starting eleven.
With Everton potentially short on midfield options right now, they have an excellent free-agent and cost-effective opportunity staring them in the face. They’d be silly not to pursue it.