What lies ahead for Myles Lewis-Skelly?
The Arsenal teenage starlet has dominated conversation after football.london reported exclusively last week that Chelsea and Manchester United were both approached about signing him.
The 19-year-old has remained focused despite uncertainty over his future in north London, delivering a standout display in the Community Shield triumph against Manchester City at the weekend.
However, further questions have emerged after the Gunners’ chief executive Richard Garlick suggested the club would consider offloading Lewis-Skelly alongside fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri.
So, what should Arsenal do with this versatile talent? Should Lewis-Skelly force a transfer or battle for his place at the Emirates? football.london writers share their views…
Matt Maltby
Arsenal would be making a mistake to part with Lewis-Skelly. He ranks among the most promising players in English football. Actually, can he even be called a prospect any longer? He has already accumulated 43 Premier League outings since breaking through in 2024 and earned six England senior caps.
His adaptability also makes him invaluable. Whether operating at left-back or in central areas, Lewis-Skelly clearly possesses significant ability and appears to be a solid character as well.
Why would Arsenal want to sell someone capable of providing assists like he did against City? And with United monitoring their circumstances, why reinforce a direct competitor?
From what we gather, Lewis-Skelly is content at Arsenal and aims to play a major role in their title defence bid. He is not agitating for a move and Arsenal should not be forcing him towards the exit.
As Arsenal have learned over time, injuries can strike without warning and Mikel Arteta requires a robust squad as they pursue another productive campaign. It seems absurd that they are even contemplating offloading MLS…
Scott Trotter
Lewis-Skelly’s demeanour at the weekend demonstrated a player who appeared eager to remain at Arsenal. If that is indeed the case, Arsenal should not contemplate saying farewell.
The notion that he has been presented to Chelsea and Manchester United is absurd given he featured in the Champions League final just months ago and is still only a teenager. There is nothing quite like seeing a homegrown talent flourish, and when Lewis-Skelly has displayed his quality across numerous positions, it would be foolish to make those abilities available to a rival.
If the 19-year-old were feeling unsettled, the situation might differ somewhat given the competition he is likely to face this campaign. However, squad depth is crucial for the Gunners to compete across multiple fronts this term, and he should not be discarded.
Kieran Horn
I can comprehend why Arsenal would consider transferring Myles Lewis-Skelly and how the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes might leave him feeling uncertain, but sanctioning an actual sale makes no sense to me.
In Lewis-Skelly, the Gunners possess one of football’s most gifted teenagers who wishes to stay, can operate in multiple roles and is tied down until 2030.
There really should be no uncertainty about his future unless an extraordinary bid is submitted. Despite the competition for midfield spots, Lewis-Skelly will receive substantial playing time because of injuries and the four competitions Arsenal are competing in.
Following his breakout campaign, the 19-year-old did not feature heavily but that could actually bode well for his career longevity given how muscular problems have affected Bukayo Saka recently.
Jake Stokes
Arsenal must not sell Myles Lewis-Skelly under any circumstances. Right now, I genuinely believe allowing a Hale End academy graduate of his quality, experience, potential and importance to the squad to depart should be grounds for dismissal.
Naturally, those in charge at the Emirates Stadium must manage finances and ensure the Gunners comply with spending regulations, but that should never serve as justification for cashing in on a homegrown player who – by all accounts – wishes to remain.
Regardless of any figure a prospective buyer might table, the club should be striving to do whatever is necessary to retain Lewis-Skelly. Releasing him would be a serious error and would set the Kroenke family back considerably in their relationship with supporters.
If the teenager had perhaps failed to meet expectations on the pitch, behaved inappropriately towards the club, or made unreasonable demands regarding a new contract, then one might argue, ‘alright, perhaps a sale warrants consideration’, but that is not the situation.
Lewis-Skelly has excelled whenever selected and has never spoken negatively about Arsenal – or a colleague, whether player, coach or staff member. The sole benefit of selling the midfielder would be pure profit, and if the Gunners need to balance their books or raise money, perhaps they should not have spent so lavishly in previous years…