Southampton enter race to sign Arsenal star

Southampton have reportedly entered the race to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan until the end of the season.

Maitland-Niles has managed less than 500 minutes of Premier League football this term and he is currently out-of-favour.

The England international was the regular back-up option for the full-back spots, but the position has now been taken up by Cedric Soares.

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, the Saints have entered the race for Maitland-Niles, who is also on the radar of West Bromwich Albion.

A club currently in the top four is also interested in the 23-year-old, but the Gunners prefer him to join the Saints instead.

Maitland-Niles was fancied to join Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal last summer, but the Gunners rejected the advances.

He has since struggled to claim a regular starting spot with Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney preferred in the right and left-back positions.

Maitland-Niles, who prefers to play in the central midfield, is worried that he could miss out on Euro 2020 due to the limited game time.