Maitland-Niles reveals why he decided to remain at Arsenal | OneFootball

Ainsley Maitland-Niles was one of the Arsenal players that were expected to leave the club at the end of last season.

He had been in fine form for Arsenal towards the end of that campaign. But the club needed funds and they wanted to cash in on him so that they could sign their top transfer targets.

They transfer-listed him and there was interest from Wolves and Brighton. The former reportedly made a bid for him, but it was turned down.

He started this season in even better form and he earned an England call up after his fine performance in the Community Shield.

Eventually, the club didn’t sell him and talk of a transfer away from the club was halted early on in the transfer window.

The midfielder has now revealed that he stayed at The Emirates because of Mikel Arteta.

He claimed that the Spanish manager showed enough trust in him and there was no need for him to move.

‘There was a lot of speculation going around, but I chose to stay at the club I love,’ said Maitland-Niles as quoted by Metro Sports.

‘I am happy with my decision and I am sure the manager is happy that I stayed as well.

‘It was about the manager having faith in me and him letting me know what’s going on and the situation. He did that and everything was fine in the end.

‘He just installed a lot of confidence in me that I had in myself, but maybe I didn’t know how to bring out. He has helped me do that.

‘We work well as a team together and he knows how to get the best out of me, and now I am learning to get the best out of myself more regularly now.

‘I can only thank him along the way and carry on the run of form we have had.’