Steve Bruce ‘hopeful’ Newcastle can land Arsenal ace on loan as contact is made despite other Premier League interest and star’s potential reservations in moving north

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According to the Telegraph (subscription required), Newcastle are the latest Premier League side with an interest in loaning Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Arsenal before the January transfer window closes.

The Telegraph report that the Magpies have reignited interest in the ace they were hoping to sign in the summer, as Steve Bruce’s side have now contacted Arsenal over taking the versatile talent on loan.

It’s explained that Newcastle had eyed Jesse Lingard as a loan target, but the Manchester United ace decided against an apparent relegation battle in favour of a short-term move to West Ham.

The Telegraph report that the Northern outfit were ‘encouraged’ to show their interest in Maitland-Niles, despite Sky Sports claiming the 23-year-old has decided to join West Bromwich Albion on loan.

Sky Sports also name Southampton as a side keen on Maitland-Niles – also one that have just lost their starting right-back Kyle Walker-Peters to a thigh injury.

Maitland-Niles has the choice of a side that are nailed-on relegation candidates in West Brom that would perhaps offer the most first-team football, a team in Newcastle that look set to battle against the drop – but have picked up considerably more points than the likes of the Baggies and Sheffield United or a club with top-half ambitions in Southampton.

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Ainsley Maitland-Niles in action for Arsenal.

The Telegraph report that Bruce is ‘hopeful’ that a deal for the England international can be sorted, though it’s added that the ace may not wish to move so far north, even on a temporary basis.

Maitland-Niles has been involved in Arsenal’s first-team for a good few years now, sporadic action this term perhaps makes a loan the best option for the ace this month.

Sky Sports detailed that Maitland-Niles wants to win a spot in England’s squad for the Euros, the energetic ace made his debut in September and has won a total of four caps for the Three Lions to date.

Maitland-Niles has started five of his 11 Premier League appearances this season, whilst he’s shown quality on some of those outings that’s not early enough action to warrant a spot for England.

Despite coming through the ranks at Arsenal as a central midfielder, Maitland-Niles has seen most of his action as a wing-back – with his energy, pace and fairly balanced skill set clearly suiting the role.

Newcastle are the one side of the aforementioned three that regularly use a system with wing-backs, West Brom have here and there but seem to have moved away from that recently, whilst Southampton don’t on paper but their full-backs are very attacking.

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