Leeds United have had a bad few days in the summer window with Igor Paixao choosing to join Marseille over Daniel Farke’s side, and a move for Rodrigo Muniz becoming doubtful.
A brilliant week saw Leeds strike big deals for Anton Stach and Lucas Perri, splashing £35.5m on the giant duo. It left Adam Underwood with two major priorities left to sort, a new winger and a starting striker.
But Leeds lost out to Marseille in a move for Paixao and now, Newcastle are in talks for Rodrigo Muniz. The club’s two priority options in attack could now fall by the wayside, with Leeds needing even more.
Isaac Schmidt is set to join Max Wober at Werder Bremen and Leeds need reinforcements at full-back. James Justin is supposedly a target, while another England international has now been offered to Leeds.
Leeds United offered chance to sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles
With Schmidt leaving Leeds, Daniel Farke will be left with just three options on each side of the defence and one of those is Sam Byram. Clearly a well-liked member of the squad, but Byram is very injury prone.
Leeds can ease a lack of options at full-back with the signing of Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Transfer expert Graeme Bailey has told LeedsUnited.News that Leeds have been offered Maitland-Niles this week.
“Leeds are one of the clubs who have been offered Ainsley Maitland-Niles. I’m told lots of Premier League clubs have been offered him. He’s the sort of player Leeds need in terms of both full-back positions.
“Leeds are one of the teams who have been offered him. He’s available, intermediaries doing the work, he’s been pushed to a few clubs. What I can say, is he does want to come back to England,” he added.
How Maitland-Niles has fared in France since leaving Arsenal
Coming through the Arsenal system and winning England caps, Maitland-Niles went on loan to Ipswich, West Brom, Roma and then Southampton before finally leaving Arsenal for good in 2023, joining Lyon.
The best form of Maitland-Niles’ career has come over the past two seasons, largely operating as a right-back but able to cover left-back and midfield. During 2024-25, he played 44 times, laying on seven assists.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ stats at Lyon:
| Games (Starts) | Minutes | Wins | Clean Sheets | Goals | Assists |
| 73 (50) | 4774 | 40 | 20 | 3 | 11 |
Two years in France have seemingly seen Maitland-Niles regain his confidence, playing alongside Perri for the 2024-25 season. Perri played his part in trying to help Leeds sign Paixao over the weekend.
Now, maybe the giant goalkeeper will be asked to help Leeds do a deal for Maitland-Niles and play a part in convincing the versatile ace to choose Leeds over other Premier League clubs, in the coming days.
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