There is no way Arsenal midfielder, Ainsley Maitland-Niles can play ahead of Wilfred Ndidi, if he joins Leicester City, the Foxes ex-defender, Steve Howey claims.
Maitland-Niles is considered surplus to requirements at Arsenal and is expected to leave in the ongoing transfer window
Last season, the versatile 23-year-old was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion but could not help the Baggies avoid relegation.
Ndidi on his own path, has been instrumental for Leicester since he joined the club in 2017 and was a crucial cog in their FA Cup triumph last season, which makes Howey believes the Nigeria international would remain the club’s first choice in midfield, even if the Foxes sign Maitland-Niles.
“I mean, he obviously started off at Arsenal as kind of a full-back,” Howey told Transfer Tavern.
“Big Sam [Allardyce] brought him in at West Brom; ultimately, it did not pay off because they got relegated. I think he is a decent player, but he is not getting ahead of Ndidi and [Youri] Tielemans.”
Meanwhile, Ndidi is proud of City’s achievements last season and he is eager to help them win more titles in the 2021-22 campaign after last season’s FA Cup triumph.
“Now we’re just putting in the work. We’re beginning to get our fitness and trying to look ahead to the games. We’ve always known [Rodgers’] philosophy and everything,” Ndidi told the club’s website.
“We know our targets. We, as players, know what we want as a group. We know what we want to achieve and I think it’s something that we all look forward to.
“I’m really proud of the group with what we achieved last season. It was a really great feeling. Some of the players weren’t here when Leicester won the league, which was a great, great feeling, and the players who weren’t here then, we have a feeling of actually winning something.
“It’s an incredible feeling and it’s something we want to push and look forward to having that feeling again. It’s really great. It’s something we push for and we’ll see what comes out of this season.”
