ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta is keen for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to "start to perform at the level he can" for loan club Saints.

After a slow beginning to his time on the south coast, the 25-year-old has started each of the past two matches for Saints, helping them collect four points from matches against West Ham United and Bournemouth.

Due to terms of his loan agreement, Maitland-Niles is ineligible to feature this weekend against his parent club at St Mary's.

But Arteta is hopeful the five-time England international can nail down his starting spot on the south coast.

"Obviously, he won’t be able to play against us and he hasn’t played that much," said the Gunners boss, discussing Maitland-Niles's time at Saints.

"Hopefully he can get the minutes and can pick up some momentum as well, because we need him to play the games."

Having made his senior debut for Arsenal as a teenager in 2014, the Gunners' academy graduate has gone on to play well over 100 games for the club.

But the versatile ace is now into his fourth loan spell away from Emirates Stadium, having also spent time at Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion and Roma, prior to linking up with Saints in September.

Asked if he feels Maitland-Niles still has a future at Arsenal, Arteta said: "Well, the future that he has right now is his present.

"The most important thing is for him to get in there (Saints), get his place and start to perform at the level that he can."

Asked what the London-born star needs to work on to get back to his best, Arteta added: "That’s something now for his manager (Ralph Hasenhuttl) to provide the answer because he’s not with us.

"He needs to focus now on the present, which is the most important thing for his future."

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