ไทย
English
中國人
Manchester United are reportedly "weighing up" a move for Arsenal starlet Myles Lewis-Skelly, whose place at the club may be under threat given the Premier League champions' aggressive pursuit of top targets this summer.
Lewis-Skelly wrapped up a challenging second season as a senior player on a high note, starting the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Mikel Arteta heaped praise on the tenacious youngster, who spent large portions of the campaign on the sidelines, yet difficult decisions may loom if the manager's ambitious transfer plans come to fruition.
United first surfaced as an unexpected suitor for Lewis-Skelly back in March when he was out of favor. That interest has resurfaced this summer and could develop into a genuine bid, particularly if Arsenal manage to secure a deal for either Newcastle United skipper Bruno Guimarães or Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr., according to The Independent.
Guimarães could prove to be the pivotal figure. Not only would the Brazilian midfielder present yet another hurdle for Lewis-Skelly to clear in his bid for a regular central role at the Emirates, but his departure would also embolden Newcastle to turn down further offers for their key players. United had previously been linked with the Magpies' Lewis Hall to address their troublesome left back slot, but attention could now turn to Arsenal's teenage talent.
Why Man Utd Would Want to Sign Myles Lewis-Skelly
Manchester United cycled through three different managers selecting Premier League starting line-ups last season, and all three arrived at the same conclusion at left back: Luke Shaw. At 31 years old, 13 seasons removed from his top-flight debut, the former England international started every match of a league campaign for the very first time in his career.
As remarkable as that achievement was, it is unlikely to be repeated in the upcoming season. Shaw was one of the chief beneficiaries of United's historically sparse fixture list last term, which totalled just 40 games. There will be at least eight additional matches in the Champions League alone, while Michael Carrick will be aiming to progress further than first-round exits in both domestic cup competitions.
Shaw will almost certainly need to be managed carefully to prevent the familiar strain on his injury-prone body, yet reliable cover for that position remains scarce. Carrick appears to view Patrick Dorgu as a left winger rather than a fullback, leaving 19-year-old Harry Amass — who has just four top-flight appearances to his name — as the only other natural left back on United's books.
Lewis-Skelly is the same age as Amass but has already accumulated considerably more experience at the elite level, both in the Premier League (20 starts) and the Champions League (15 starts).
There is also the added bonus of Lewis-Skelly's adaptability. A central midfielder throughout his time in Arsenal's academy, the teenager excelled alongside Declan Rice in that role during last season's Champions League semifinal and final.
The attraction for United is plain to see, but Arsenal also have compelling reasons to part ways with one of their most prized homegrown talents.
Why Arsenal Could Sell Myles-Lewis Skelly—and Others
Arteta has made no secret of his belief that last season's hard-fought title win cannot be built upon without significant reinforcements. A tendency to struggle under high pressure has been flagged as a critical weakness that Guimarães should help address, while Vinícius Jr would bring an unpredictable edge from the left flank and ease the burden on Bukayo Saka on the other side.
However, such expenditure must be offset somehow. There are only so many commercial deals that Vinícius Jr can generate. One of the most straightforward ways to quickly satisfy the Premier League's financial fair play requirements is by selling academy-developed players. Since Lewis-Skelly cost the club nothing after progressing through Hale End, any transfer fee received would count as pure profit.
The same logic applies to Ethan Nwaneri, another 19-year-old prodigy produced by Arsenal's increasingly productive youth setup, who could also be moved on to finance the acquisition of established stars.
Enable functional cookies to see this feature.
Christian Nørgaard is already being moved on to make space for Guimarães, and there has been considerable speculation over Gabriel Martinelli's future given the interest in his fellow Brazilian. But further departures are likely to be necessary.
The short-term logic of offloading two teenagers to bring in a pair of Brazilian internationals in their prime is straightforward, but it raises serious questions about the long-term consequences for Arsenal's future development.