Ainsley Maitland-Niles was not the player most Everton supporters expected to see arrive on Deadline Day.
For much of the summer, other names had dominated the search for another full-back and, even on the final day of the window, Fulham’s Kenny Tete appeared a more obvious possibility.
Instead, Everton moved for Maitland-Niles and completed a permanent deal with Lyon.
For plenty of Evertonians, the 29-year-old will still be remembered primarily as the versatile youngster who came through at Arsenal.
But quite a lot has happened since then.
So, what exactly have Everton signed?
Maitland-Niles has changed since his Arsenal days
Maitland-Niles joined Arsenal at the age of six and eventually made 132 senior appearances for the club in all competitions.
Even then, defining his best position wasn’t easy.
He played at right-back, wing-back and in central midfield, with his ability to fill several roles sometimes working against his attempts to establish himself in one.
There were some significant moments along the way.
Maitland-Niles played his part as Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2020 and his performances earned him an England call-up. He went on to win five senior caps under Gareth Southgate, having previously been part of England’s Under-20 World Cup-winning squad in 2017.
But regular football eventually became harder to find at Arsenal.
Loans followed at West Brom, Roma and Southampton before his long association with the Gunners ended in 2023.
Then came a move which is probably more relevant to Everton than much of what happened earlier in his career.
He joined Lyon.
Maitland-Niles initially had to work for his place but went on to become an established member of the French club’s squad.
Across three seasons, he made 119 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals and providing 16 assists.
He featured 30 times in Ligue 1 last season and also gained further experience in European competition.
So this isn’t Everton bringing back a player who disappeared after leaving Arsenal.
He has played a lot of high-level football since.
Where might Moyes use him?
Right-back is the obvious starting point.
Nathan Patterson has left for Torino, and Seamus Coleman also departed during the summer, while Everton spent much of the transfer window looking for another option on that side of the defence.
But Maitland-Niles offers Moyes more than that.
He is comfortable moving into midfield from full-back, can operate centrally and has also been used on the left during his career.
That versatility could prove useful given the way Everton have finished the transfer window.
Moyes has been left short of specialist cover in some areas – most obviously at centre-forward and left-back – so having a player capable of filling several positions certainly won’t hurt.
Equally, he isn’t the headline right-back signing many supporters might have envisaged when Everton began looking at the position earlier in the summer.
At 29, nor is he arriving as a young player Everton expect to develop and eventually sell for a substantial profit.
But the price is interesting.
Lyon confirmed that Everton paid just €3.5m for him.
For that, Everton have acquired a five-cap England international with more than 100 Premier League appearances, three seasons of regular football in France and considerable European experience.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Maitland-Niles is that Everton supporters may need to forget the player they remember.
Utility man…
This isn’t the young Arsenal prospect still trying to establish himself or settle on one position.
He arrives on Merseyside at 29, with more than 300 senior appearances behind him and having spent the last three years playing regularly for one of France’s biggest clubs.
His arrival was unexpected and, after the way Everton’s transfer window ended, it is unlikely to be the signing supporters spend much time celebrating.
But for €3.5m, Maitland-Niles doesn’t need to transform the team.
If he can give Moyes a reliable option in two or three positions – especially, of course, at right-back – across the course of the season, Everton may find their surprise Deadline Day arrival was a useful one.
For updates on the Toffees throughout the season, take a look at our LIVE! Premier League 2026/27 News, Transfers, Updates & Viral Moments page.
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