Brighton are tracking Ainsley Maitland-Niles for a potential summer transfer, with the Arsenal academy graduate open to a departure.

The Evening Standard report that Ainsley Maitland-Niles is attracting interest from Brighton ahead of the summer transfer window. They’re tracking him for a potential move, amid the reports of a potential Arsenal exit.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein recently reported that Maitland-Niles feels he needs to leave the club this summer to achieve regular first-team football.

Whilst you can understand that point of view – as he’s hardly a nailed-on starter – the decision isn’t entirely in the player’s hands. He still has three years on his contract, at 22 years old. Arsenal would need to receive a substantial bid to convince them to sell.

Then there’s the fact that Mikel Arteta reintroduced Maitland-Niles to the starting lineup after Ornstein’s exclusive. The academy graduate started on the left against Manchester City in the recent 2-0 win.

Even if Maitland-Niles is considering a move, he clearly isn’t burning his bridges yet. The likes of Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Özil can’t even get in the squad, so Arteta clearly doesn’t shy away from making those kinds of calls. But that’s not the case with Maitland-Niles.

All this to say, if Brighton really do hold an interest in the Arsenal man, they shouldn’t expect him to leave for nothing.