At A Glance:
- Arsenal are reportedly open to selling Myles Lewis-Skelly.
- Manchester United still retain interest in the left-back.
- The future of Ethan Nwaneri, too, is uncertain.
Arsenal, irrespective of any prospective success, will be entering the summer transfer market with plenty of deals to do – and sorting the future of Myles Lewis-Skelly is at the forefront of that. Reports are now stating the club are open potentially selling the young Englishman.
Much has been made of Arsenal’s need for a bit of a refresh and that’s despite them being at the top of the Premier League table. For example, a new centre-forward wouldn’t go amiss and signing a new left winger would be wise.
Elsewhere, it has also been reported that Mikel Arteta is likely to put pen to paper on fresh terms as Gunners boss as long as he continues to receive backing from the club’s powers that be.
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But as important as incomings are, a club’s transfer activity can be adequately graded by those who go in the other direction: out the exit. The aforementioned Lewis-Skelly, as it’s now being reported, could be among those.
Five players could leave Arsenal this summer, including Myles Lewis-Skelly
The future of Lewis-Skelly has been a major point of contention for many. Manchester United are reportedly among those interested in the talented 19-year-old but many Arsenal supporters are against his exit.
That’s because he’s a home-grown player – and one that has proven he is capable of producing on the big stage…. not least against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Others, however, see his limitations and believe that he is so far down the pecking order at the moment (behind both Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori) that keeping him would be a waste of time.
That said, BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel has reported that Arsenal are now open to selling the youngster – who signed a long-term contract last summer – once the current season comes to a close.
Ethan Nwaneri, too, is another Arsenal player that is guaranteed to be playing under Arteta moving forward. Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund are interested in the forward, as are rival Premier League clubs.
By virtue of the fact they are both graduates from the club’s academy ranks, they would represent pure profit on the balance sheet – and club insiders believe that £100 million for the two is the minimum they’d receive.
Arsenal’s pair of gifted Hale Enders aside, it has been reported by Mokbel that Ben White, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli also face uncertain futures.
What would Lewis-Skelly’s departure mean for Arsenal?
If a move elsewhere does materialise for the left-back, it would be an evident shift away from Arteta placing trust in his academy. Lewis-Skelly has no doubt been given plenty of chances to prove himself – and that he has.
As mentioned, his display at the Santiago Bernabeu just last season was a poignant reminder of the utter talent he possesses.
A cause for concern, though, is his lack of minutes in 2025/26. To date, he has chalked up just 1,358 minutes across all competitions and that is unlikely to rise much further given the Gunners are reaching the run-in.
Could that result in a move to Old Trafford?
Reputable journalist has previously reported that United had ‘made an informal enquiry’ surrounding his availability this summer and that they are keen admirers of the 2006-born defender.
The fact that he hasn’t even got a compelling case to be on Thomas Tuchel’s plane for the 2026 World Cup – due to his restricted game time – is a crying shame in itself. It’s an intriguing situation to keep an eye on.
