Arsenal are set to receive up to €1m to loan Ainsley Maitland-Niles to AS Roma without an option or obligation to buy, according to reports.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal battles for possession with Juraj Kucka of Watford FC during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Watford at Emirates Stadium on November 07, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal battles for possession with Juraj Kucka of Watford FC during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Watford at Emirates Stadium on November 07, 2021. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

After plenty of debate over whether Ainsley Maitland-Niles would join AS Roma with an option to buy or an obligation, ESPN’s James Olley was the first to report on Tuesday that it would be neither.

Olley and Sam Dean of The Telegraph confirmed that Maitland-Niles was close to a straight loan for the rest of the season with no purchase clause.

Within hours, the situation had advanced again. Olley added that the deal was agreed, and a formal announcement was expected in due course.

David Ornstein confirmed the news, revealing that a medical is expected in the UK within 48 hours. Though personal terms are still to be finalised, they won’t be an issue.

In his article on The Athletic, Ornstein explained that Roma want Maitland-Niles permanently. That’s why they made the initial offer with an option to buy, and they’re still planning to make a bid for Maitland-Niles when they can raise some money this summer.

But for now, Arsenal are only willing to accept a straight loan, so the midfielder’s permanent future will have to wait.

Fabrizio Romano writes that Arsenal will receive a €500k loan fee plus €500k in bonuses from AS Roma, with Maitland-Niles’ full salary to be paid by Roma. The paperwork was reportedly signed last night.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal embraces Lewis Dunk of Brighton & Hove Albion after the draw in the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal at American Express Community Stadium on October 02, 2021 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND: Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal embraces Lewis Dunk of Brighton & Hove Albion after the draw in the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal at American Express Community Stadium on October 02, 2021. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

This could be a positive outcome for all involved. Maitland-Niles should get the regular minutes he wants, and a chance to win a permanent transfer to a good club in AS Roma.

Roma get their man and know they’ll have another chance to do a deal in the summer, and Arsenal get some money now as they hope Maitland-Niles’ loan will turn out like Joe Willock’s last season.

The only real negative is that Maitland-Niles is leaving now, rather than at the end of January.

Arsenal could really have used the player for another week and a half, and they’ll have to face the upcoming fixture congestion with only a couple of central midfielders. Perhaps the potential Liverpool postponement will help on that front.

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