What Unai Emery has in plan for Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been in the first team for a few years but it seems like this will be the first time that he will make a lot of appearances this season due to Hector Bellerin’s injury. So Maitland-Niles can play as a central midfielder, right-winger and in the right back role but what position will he play under Unai Emery next season?

Well we all know that Hector Bellerin is out for a long time and will probably miss the first few months of the new season so the gunners will either have to sign a new right back or renew Stephan Lichtsteiner’s deal for one more year, but it’s clear the club won’t take that second option. Arsenal boss Unai Emery hasn’t revealed the positions that will need strengthening in the summer but most reports claim that the gunners will prioritise signing a new winger, left back and a centre back.

So this will leave the right back position with Ainsley Maitland-Niles because the gunners might not have the funds to sign another full back and the young Englishman has in the last two matches shown that he could be able to succeed in this role, be it as a wingback or right back. Since the gunners could be limited by lack of funds, I believe Unai Emery will certainly let Ainsley Maitland-Niles continue playing in this position at the start of next season as they wait for Hector Bellerin return.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles would also be contended with playing in one position for a long period of time because playing in many different positions will affect his footballing career hence becoming like the case of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who continually said that he preferred playing as a central midfielder while Arsene Wenger played him on the flanks. It will be interesting to see if Maitland-Niles will keep up with the form he has now because if he keeps up, he could get much more minutes next season.