Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent out on loan this summer for a second successive season. The 25-year-old joined Southampton on deadline day after spending the last campaign on loan at AS Roma, while he spent the second half of the 2020/21 season at West Bromwich Albion.
Having now been sent on three separate loan spells by Mikel Arteta, it feels as though Maitland-Niles' long association with Arsenal may soon come to an end. football.london understands that Southampton have an option to make the England international's loan spell permanent next summer.
However, if the Saints don't choose to take up that permanent option, Maitland-Niles will return to the Gunners, where it will surely be his last chance to force himself back into the first-team picture at Arsenal.