Struggling for game time at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, Ainsley Maitland-Niles decided to look elsewhere for some minutes on the pitch, which is when a move to AS Roma was organised.
José Mourinho wanted someone to help out at right-back, and since the England international was just what he was looking for, a loan was quickly organised.
There was no option to buy in the deal, with that detail set to be discussed during the second half of the campaign, but the 24-year-old was immediately asked to have an impact in Rome, where he has played in every league game since his arrival.
While he has been used at right-back, left-mid or on the right hand side of the midfield, the Arsenal loanee has yet to fully convince those watching, with former Roma footballer Loris Boni stating as much on Centro Suono Sport, relayed by Voce Giallorossa on Sunday.
Asked about both Maitland-Niles and Sergio Oliveira, he said: “They haven’t impacted a lot. Maybe they haven’t settled in yet. They have a hard time grasping the type of football in Italy. English and Portuguese football is quite different.
“If you join a team that is not in to condition, it’s not easy to fit in. They are players who have come to complete a staff. They aren’t ones who make the difference.”
There is still plenty of time for the Arsenal loanee to do that, but if he is to get his move away from the Emirates and Mikel Arteta in the summer, he will need to convince AS Roma he is worth the money.
Something to keep in mind as the season progresses, and as Mourinho continues in his struggles to try and return his side to the top six of Italian football.
