Arsenal have spent heavily to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer, but player sales have also formed an important part of their transfer strategy.
Several members of the squad were considered potential departures as the Gunners looked to balance their business, and academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly was among the names discussed earlier in the window.
That stance has now changed. According to a report by Football Insider, Arteta does not want Lewis-Skelly to leave Arsenal, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester United.
Arsenal reverse Lewis-Skelly decision
The 19-year-old had previously been viewed as a player whose sale could generate pure profit because of his academy background. However, his performances have convinced Arsenal to reconsider.
Lewis-Skelly started the first two matches of the new campaign and was also trusted in last season’s UEFA Champions League final, underlining the increasingly important role he has established under Arteta. He also impressed against Manchester City in the Community Shield and Coventry City on the opening weekend of the league season.
Arsenal are therefore no longer planning to entertain a late departure, with the youngster now considered an important part of both Arteta’s immediate squad and the club’s long-term plans.
Chelsea and Manchester United forced to look elsewhere
Chelsea and Manchester United had both monitored Lewis-Skelly’s situation after Arsenal initially refused to completely rule out a sale. Their hopes of taking advantage of any uncertainty now appear to have been significantly reduced.
Even if Arsenal were willing to reconsider, Football Insider reports that neither club would be expected to meet the valuation required to tempt the Gunners into selling. Arteta has also reportedly made it clear to Lewis-Skelly that he remains part of his plans for the season.
That leaves Chelsea and Manchester United likely to pursue alternative targets as the transfer deadline approaches. For Arsenal, meanwhile, keeping one of their most promising academy graduates provides Arteta with another versatile young option who has already demonstrated that he can handle major occasions.
Arsenal’s change of heart makes sense and selling Lewis-Skelly may have represented attractive accounting because any fee would have counted largely as profit, but sporting value matters more when a 19-year-old is already trusted in major matches. His starts this season suggest Arteta sees him as much more than a developmental player.
Chelsea and Manchester United may have hoped Arsenal’s earlier willingness to consider offers created an opportunity, but that window now appears closed. Unless an extraordinary bid changes the situation, Lewis-Skelly staying at the Emirates looks the overwhelmingly likely outcome.