adminAinsley Maitland-Niles could reportedly be an intriguing option for Tottenham Hotspur as Roberto De Zerbi looks to strengthen his defensive depth, although his previous association with Arsenal could make the move a controversial one.
European football expert Andy Brassell believes the former England international could be a smart fit for Spurs, identifying him alongside Lyon teammate Clinton Mata as two potential options the north London club could consider for the right-back position.
Tottenham have already invested more than £300 million in strengthening De Zerbi’s squad this summer, but several areas still require attention before the transfer window closes.
The club have added significant quality across the squad, with players including Savinho, Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and Jan Paul van Hecke arriving for substantial fees. Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka have also joined on free transfers.
Spurs are also understood to be interested in Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo, although their chances of completing that deal could depend on Liverpool securing Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola.
There has also been movement in the opposite direction, with Djed Spence completing a reported £30 million transfer to Inter Milan. However, Tottenham have yet to bring in a direct replacement for the versatile defender.
Pedro Porro remains the club’s first-choice option at right-back, but the Spaniard missed Tottenham’s pre-season schedule after his involvement in Spain’s World Cup triumph.
The 26-year-old finally returned to action during Tottenham’s impressive 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic, coming off the bench to make his first appearance since the conclusion of last season.
In the meantime, De Zerbi has had little choice but to use Archie Gray at right-back during Tottenham’s opening fixtures, despite that not being his natural position.
The ‘Harry Kane problem’
Brassell believes Tottenham face a familiar problem when trying to find suitable cover for one of their most important players.
Speaking to talkSPORT.com, he explained that certain players are incredibly difficult to replace because they rarely miss matches.
He compared the situation to Tottenham’s previous challenge of finding reliable cover for Harry Kane during the striker’s rise to becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Brassell said Porro is currently enjoying an outstanding period and is not only the right-back for the world champions but also someone who is consistently available.
According to the European football expert, finding an elite player willing to move to Tottenham purely to serve as Porro’s understudy would be extremely difficult.
He suggested that Spurs should instead look for someone capable of covering multiple positions, particularly a player who could operate both at right-back and in midfield.
The situation is similar to Paris Saint-Germain’s approach with Achraf Hakimi. Rather than attempting to find a player capable of directly replacing the elite full-back, PSG can use a midfielder such as Warren Zaïre-Emery when Hakimi is unavailable.
Tottenham could therefore benefit from adopting a similar strategy.
Could Maitland-Niles be the answer?
Brassell believes Maitland-Niles could potentially fit that profile despite his Arsenal background.
He said: “I wonder, now this is slightly sacrilegious maybe, but I wonder if Ainsley Maitland-Niles would be quite a good fit, despite the Arsenal past.”
Maitland-Niles has experienced an inconsistent spell at Lyon. During the early periods of Laurent Blanc and Fabio Grosso, the versatile Englishman struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.
However, his fortunes improved considerably under Pierre Sage, with the midfielder-turned-full-back developing into a much more important player.
His performances have also attracted interest from Crystal Palace, while his contract situation could make him an attractive option, with only one year remaining on his current deal.
Brassell believes Maitland-Niles’ versatility could make him particularly useful to Tottenham because he is capable of operating in midfield as well as at full-back.
He added that the former Arsenal player offers something different from Porro, particularly because he is comfortable moving into midfield from the right-back position.
There are still concerns over his defensive consistency, but Brassell believes those weaknesses should not completely overshadow what he could offer Spurs.
“I still think defensively he’s a little bit fallible at times, but I think he’d be a really interesting player for that position,” he said.
Clinton Mata another option
Maitland-Niles is not the only Lyon player who could interest Tottenham.
Brassell also highlighted experienced defender Clinton Mata as an alternative for Spurs if they want a more defensively reliable option.
Mata has recently signed a new contract with Lyon, but Brassell believes the French club’s financial situation means very few players are completely untouchable.
“Lyon is Lyon; everyone is sellable, basically,” he explained.
The defender also possesses considerable experience, having played at Champions League level during his time with Club Brugge.
Brassell praised Mata’s leadership qualities and his ability to communicate effectively, noting that he is highly respected by his teammates.
He described him as a “really smart defender” and suggested that Maitland-Niles and Mata represent two completely different profiles Tottenham could consider.
For Spurs, the decision may ultimately come down to whether they want a versatile player capable of covering several positions or a more traditional defensive option to provide competition and cover behind Porro.
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