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'Bitter' Maitland-Niles tipped to join Arsenal teammate in exodus after talks update today - pundit
Noel Whelan has claimed Arsenal should let Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Eddie Nketiah leave the club this month.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed Maitland-Niles, 24, has “had enough” at the Gunners.
According to the Daily Mail (4 January), Arsenal are ready to part with Maitland-Niles following crunch talks with Mikel Arteta – with Roma already submitting a loan-to-buy offer.
The newspaper also claim the Gunners are also exploring letting Sead Kolasinac and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang depart during the winter window.
Whelan insisted it would be “good business” for Arsenal to let Maitland-Niles leave in order to avoid a “bitter” feeling within the club.
He also backed Nketiah to depart in order to pursue first-team football.
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“He’s been knocking on the door for around five years now,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“He’s been chopped and changed all over the park in recent years.
“There are players at Arsenal that Arteta will have examined and decided that they are not going to be part of his plans long-term.
“The only good business you can do in that situation, and for the good of the player, is to free up the position, the wages, and possibly a fee.
“You don’t want players at a football club who are bitter, so it’s important to let them go when they feel the time is right to develop further.
“Maitland-Niles has had enough at Arsenal, much like Nketiah. They’ve tried to keep their spots, but now they need that first-team football week-in, week-out.”
Maitland-Niles’ contract expires at the end of this season, while Nketiah’s Arsenal deal is up in June.
Arsenal sit fourth in the Premier League.
In other news, pundit wowed by Arsenal plan to sign “complete” midfielder.