According to reports via the Express, Manchester United are on the verge of agreeing a shock £20m plus add-ons deal to sign Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles this summer.
It’s been a frustrating transfer window so far for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he’s been unable to land a number of key targets with United’s only significant business being the acquisition of Donny van de Beek from Ajax.
However, the Manchester giants are expected to be busy trying to bring-in further reinforcements before the window closes on October 5th as Solskjaer looks to build a squad capable of competing for major honours this season.
Man Utd have been strongly linked with Borussia Dortmund attacker Jadon Sancho and Porto full-back Alex Telles in recent weeks but a surprise name has emerged as a potential target.
According to Sport1 reporter Florian Plettenberg, United are closing-in on the signing of Maitland-Niles from Arsenal with the journalist claiming that a £20m plus add-ons deal is 80 percent complete.
Plattenberg says the move should be wrapped-up in the coming days with the versatile 23-year-old midfielder set to become Manchester United’s second signing of the summer window.
If these reports are true, which is doubt, this would certainly come as a surprise to many as United haven’t been linked with Maitland-Niles at all this summer and he’s not exactly the type of player Solskjaer has been looking for.
Maitland-Niles was linked with a move to Wolves earlier in the summer but the deal collapsed after Mikel Arteta intervened to convince the player was part of his plans at the Emirates Stadium.
The midfielder – who can also play on either flank and at right-back or left-back – recently won his first senior cap with England having represented his country at every youth level from U17 to U21.
His versatility would be a very useful asset for Solskjaer if United did end up buying Maitland-Niles as he could cover a number of positions but I don’t see him improving their starting eleven.
It appears these rumours may be wide of the mark anyway as the Manchester Evening News have responded to the reports by saying that sources close to Man Utd have denied any interest in the Arsenal star.
