Charles Watts has been giving his views on Arsenal’s moves on deadline day, in particular Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock.
Both players remained in the Premier League, as they moved to West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United respectively on loan until the end of the season with both of them struggling for minutes in the Premier League so far this campaign.
Speaking on the latest edition of his show, Watts thinks that these moves could be more beneficial to Arsenal in terms of their values in the budget rather than on the pitch if they end up playing well at their new clubs.
He said: “For me, I think you kind of look at these two players. From Arsenal’s point of view, in terms of a business point of view, they’re looking at two £20m-plus players, probably – if they can go out and perform well between now the end of the season.
“Then when the shop window opens in the summer, when the transfer window rolls around again, then you’re potentially looking at two very, very sellable young English assets, and for any football club, that’s worth a lot of money and for Arsenal especially, given the financial difficulties they are in at the moment; that would be a bonus for them.”
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TIF Thoughts on Charles Watts’ views about Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles…
Watts may have a point when it comes to the finances of the club and how valuable they could potentially be to them in the future, so Arsenal will certainly be hoping that they impress at their new clubs, with the Gunners receiving a short-term loan to help them with the financial impact caused by the pandemic.
Therefore, placing themselves in a position to receive an injection of cash when summer comes around does not seem to be the worst strategy – especially with the hope that the football market, and indeed the rest of the world, can start to recover from the effects of the pandemic by the summer.
It does seem something of a shame though, when you consider the revolution that is going on right now at the club in terms of the academy graduates making their move into the first team, that at least in Watts’ view, these two look as if they’ll be the ones that fail to make the cut.
But if that is the way that it has to be, then so be it. You just have to hope that they’re making the right decision and they don’t come back to haunt them later on.