Arsenal legend Sol Campbell has expressed his sympathy with Ainsley Maitland-Niles after he saw a move away from the Emirates Stadium blocked.

The 23-year-old has long looked like a fine young talent, but has struggled for playing time recently and could perhaps have benefited from going out on loan or maybe even leaving Arsenal permanently.

There was talk of Maitland-Niles possibly leaving on deadline day, with John Cross of the Daily Mirror tweeting yesterday that the England international had a move to Everton blocked…

MORE: Odegaard already frustrated with life at Arsenal

Former Arsenal defender Campbell has now discussed the situation with talkSPORT, admitting it was a tricky one for all the parties involved.

While Campbell understands that Arsenal need to think about their squad depth, he recognises that a move to Everton could have been ideal from Maitland-Niles’ perspective…

Arsenal haven’t come out of this looking that great, but fans will now hope Maitland-Niles can put this saga behind him and win his place back.

With Hector Bellerin leaving, there’s surely now more of an opportunity for Maitland-Niles to get games at right-back.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Panthers dominate Bruins to even series
Watch: Pacers star ties playoff high in threes in one half
Former NFL player has major warning for Steelers QB Justin Fields: 'You can't fall into this'
Watch: Brad Marchand hurdle Panthers player on Charlie Coyle goal
Pressure mounts on Nuggets as Nikola Jokic wins third MVP Award
Pirates announce date for 2023 No. 1 overall pick's MLB debut
LeBron James rues 'missed opportunities' against Nuggets
Cardinals star gives update on timeline for injury rehab
Police investigating Patrick Beverley incident
J.J. Watt addresses possibly ending retirement to play for Texans
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi could surpass two major MLS records
Reporter weighs in on potential Giants quarterback controversy
Cowboys to release veteran WR
Lakers want Anthony Davis' opinion in search for next head coach
Patriots exec explains why team drafted two QBs in 2024 NFL Draft
Borussia Dortmund legend 'considering' move to MLS
NHL announces Ted Lindsay Award finalists
Mavericks' Luka Doncic lists Thunder swingman among best perimeter defenders in NBA
Cowboys reportedly meeting with recently released veteran WR
Joe Burrow shares 'support' for Bengals who requested trades