Ainsley Maitland-Niles ‘believes he must leave Arsenal in order to play regular

Ainsley Maitland-Niles reportedly believes he is in need of a move away from Arsenal after struggling for minutes under Mikel Arteta.

Maitland-Niles, who actually has been used more often at right back as opposed to his natural position in midfield since progressing into the first-team, has played just one full match since mid-January and been used sparingly from the bench. 

As such, the 22-year-old is seeking a transfer away from the Emirates and believes now is the right time despite having a contract with Arsenal until 2023, according to The Athletic. 

Ainsley Maitland-Niles wants to pursue a move away from Arsenal for first-team football

The 22-year-old has been used sparingly by manager Mikel Arteta since mid-January

The report details that talks between Maitland-Niles’ representatives and the club about his future were set to rear its head at the end of the season. 

However, the player now wants a resolution sooner, particularly with European football a tall order – at least via their position in the Premier League. 

Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham means Mikel Arteta’s side are ninth in the table, four points off Sheffield United in seventh with three games to play. 

Maitland-Niles was an unused substitutes on Sunday when Arsenal lost 2-1 to rivals Tottenham

Meanwhile Maitland-Niles, who was on the substitutes bench at the weekend, feels there is a lack of trust from the manager and is keeping an eye on interest in him emerging from both England and Germany. 

Despite making 96 first-team appearances for Arsenal over five-and-a-half years, he has not often played in the centre of midfield – his favoured position – under Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Arteta. 

He made his first-team debut for the club back in December 2014 at the age of 17 in a Champions League game against Galatasaray. 

Maitland-Niles has played for England at youth-team level, and was part of the squad which won the 2017 Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.  

Arteta has used Maitland-Niles mostly from the substitutes bench since the league restarted

He spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Ipswich Town, and has made at least 28 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners in each of the last three seasons.  

The 22-year-old started last season’s Europa League final, and gave away a penalty in the 4-1 defeat to…