Arsenal Reconsidering Plans to Sell Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Arsenal are now having second thoughts about putting Ainsley Maitland-Niles up for sale this summer, having been impressed with his recent form.

The versatile 23-year-old was made available for transfer in an attempt to raise some much-needed spending money, despite head coach Mikel Arteta backing him and believing that he still has a future at the Emirates Stadium.

Since the uncertainty first emerged, Maitland-Niles has enjoyed fantastic performances against Manchester City and Chelsea and he was one of the stars of the show as Arsenal pipped Liverpool to the Community Shield on Saturday, and he has now earned a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad.

According to the Daily Mail, the last few months have forced Arsenal to reconsider things, and selling him may no longer be on the cards, with some inside the club keen to tie Maitland-Niles down to a new contract instead.

That will come as a blow to suitors like Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On the latter's interest, Sky Sports News state that Wolves now do not believe that Maitland-Niles is still available for transfer, and even if he is, his status as an England international will likely have driven his price up an unreasonable amount.

Wolves are still keen to pursue a deal for Maitland-Niles and are expected to improve on their recent £15m bid, but they are not optimistic of reaching an agreement at this point.

"He has to be able to convince me every day in training that he can compete at this level. Not once every three months - but every three days," Arteta said of Maitland-Niles after his man-of-the-match showing against Liverpool.

"The way he is playing at the moment is showing me that he can do it. His mentality and the way he is going about every single detail about the preparation of a football game is much better than before.

"I am delighted and very happy for him because he is really changing a lot of things around him to become the player he can be."

For more from ​Tom Gott, follow him on ​Twitter!