By Danny Mills

9th Jan, 2022 | 7:30pm

Maitland-Niles may have played last game for Arsenal after confirmed news - pundit

Danny Mills has suggested Ainsley Maitland-Niles may know he has played his last game for Arsenal.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Leeds United and England defender delivered his verdict after Maitland-Niles joined Serie A side Roma on loan for the rest of the season.

Arsenal confirmed yesterday (8 January) the versatile midfielder has moved to Jose Mourinho’s side on a temporary deal.

He told club media he had moved to the Italian capital to “make a statement” and demonstrate his abilities.

Maitland-Niles had managed just 11 appearances across all competitions this season, including just two Premier League starts, after spending the second half of last season on loan at West Brom.

“I’m surprised he hadn’t [already gone] when you look at the players they’ve brought in,” Mills told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.

“Is this move a surprise? Probably not. You look at it at left-back and they’ve got Tierney in there and Tavares in there as well. He’s probably slipped down the pecking order.

“He probably thinks he knows he’s not going to play for the club again so he needs to go out and play and show what he can do.

“He’s a very good player but it looks like, for whatever reason, that Arsenal are not overly keen and want to move him on.”

Maitland-Niles has played 132 times across all competitions after graduating from their academy.

The 24-year-old started the 2019-20 FA Cup final as Mikel Arteta’s side beat Chelsea to win the competition.

In other news, an insider has revealed Arsenal will ‘suffer massively’ as Tottenham are set to ‘take advantage’ of a ‘big blow’.