Chelsea and Manchester United have turned down the opportunity to sign Arsenal wonderkid Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Chelsea and Manchester United have both rejected the opportunity to sign Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly, according to the Daily Telegraph. The rejection came after intermediaries approached the two Premier League giants regarding a potential transfer.
The 19-year-old faces increased competition for a starting role at the Emirates Stadium, with Mikel Arteta preferring experienced campaigners Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie at left-back. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his position, Lewis-Skelly remains determined to stay in North London and fight for his place.
Arsenal are understood to value the academy graduate at around £45 million. Should the Gunners decide to sanction the teenager’s departure, the entire fee would represent pure profit for the club, given that Lewis-Skelly came through their youth system.
Chelsea and Manchester United no longer want a left-back
However, Chelsea and Manchester United show little appetite to make a move. Chelsea were contacted about Lewis-Skelly but had no interest in discussing a deal. The Blues recently addressed the left-back situation following Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid.
The West London club have brought in Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano, with the deal worth around £19 million, meaning there is little immediate need to invest heavily in another player for the position.
Manchester United have similarly decided against pursuing Lewis-Skelly despite recently showing interest. The Red Devils had previously been looking for another left-back who could provide cover and competition for Luke Shaw, particularly with Patrick Dorgu being used in more advanced areas of late.
However, Manchester United have now opted to trust academy prospect Harry Amass as Shaw’s understudy, removing left-back from their list of immediate priorities. Lewis-Skelly’s situation is particularly interesting given how important he was to Arsenal last season.
The teenager featured in 36 games across competitions and accumulated close to 2,000 minutes, while also playing a significant role during the club’s run to the Champions League final. Despite increased competition at the North London club at left-back as well as in the centre of the park, Lewis-Skelly’s preference remains clear: he wants to battle for his place rather than seek an immediate exit.
