Sports12 August, 20262 min read
Chelsea Makes Enquiry For Arsenal Teen Myles Lewis-Skelly As Manchester United Linked
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Chelsea have enquired about Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly amid long-term interest. Lewis-Skelly remains battling for a place after falling behind Calafiori and Hincapie.
Chelsea enquiry for Lewis-Skelly
Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, a 19-year-old who has started every pre-season match this summer, is at the center of transfer speculation after Chelsea made enquiries about signing him while Manchester United have also been linked. Sky Sports said Chelsea “have made a new enquiry about signing Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly” following Arsenal’s signing of Bruno Guimaraes, and it added that Arsenal do not want to sell Lewis-Skelly to a local rival. The BBC reported that one source told BBC Sport that Lewis-Skelly was offered to Manchester United in January, while Arsenal say they have not actively offered him to anyone.
Arsenal’s record sale is still the £35million they received from Liverpool for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017, and the London Evening Standard said it would take a fee “well in excess” of that for the Gunners to sanction a summer exit. With the season not officially under way, BBC Sport also said Lewis-Skelly has started the past two friendlies as the Gunners prepare for the Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal stance and player intent
Across coverage, the key dispute is whether Arsenal have actively shopped Lewis-Skelly, with the BBC saying Arsenal maintain they have not offered him to any other team. The BBC also framed the player’s position as under threat after the arrival of midfielder Guimaraes for £75m from Newcastle United, but it said Lewis-Skelly has made it clear that he wants to stay and is focused on becoming a first team regular. In the London Evening Standard, Arsenal’s approach is described as conditional on price, with the club’s willingness to consider a move if “a huge offer would be considered.”
Sports Illustrated reported that Manchester United and Chelsea “Turned Down” the chance to sign Lewis-Skelly after Arsenal reportedly slapped a $60.8 million (£45 million) price tag on him. The New York Times’ account of The Athletic’s reporting added that Lewis-Skelly is “unequivocal: he wants to stay” and is not “seeking nor even exploring a move away from the Emirates Stadium.”
What happens next at Arsenal
The next decision point is the transfer window and Arsenal’s need to balance squad building with sales, with the BBC noting the club is looking to sell members of their squad before the window closes. BBC Sport said Arsenal invested heavily last summer, bringing in eight players for £250m, and it added that they have spent over £100m in this window already while still looking to add more players before the deadline. The BBC also tied the potential accounting impact to Lewis-Skelly’s status as an academy graduate, saying that if he is sold he would present “pure profit” in the club's accounts.
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz connected that same idea to the player’s own messaging, quoting that “Pure profit” appeared on Lewis-Skelly’s Instagram page as Arsenal celebrated the Premier League title. With Arsenal preparing for the Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday, the BBC said Lewis-Skelly could still make another go at becoming a first team regular as midfielders return late from the World Cup and Guimaraes continues to settle in.