Arsenal Open to Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri Exits Amid Transfer Pressure
Arsenal chief executive Tim Lewis-Garlick has refused to shut down the prospect of academy starlets Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri leaving the club before the transfer window closes, as the Premier League champions weigh up sales to fund their next moves.
Mikel Arteta’s side have kept their spending relatively restrained so far, despite their title defence looming. Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes have arrived to strengthen a squad that finished last season on top, but the recruitment drive is not over. Arteta still wants another defender to cover for the injured William Saliba and an extra attacking option to sharpen the frontline.
To get there, Arsenal may have to cash in.
Academy jewels in the shop window
Homegrown players are suddenly at the centre of that equation. Nwaneri, long tipped as one of the brightest prospects in English football, was left out of the matchday squad for Sunday’s Community Shield win over Manchester City. His omission has only intensified talk that he is the most likely candidate to move on if a serious offer lands.
Lewis-Skelly, by contrast, was front and centre at Wembley. The England youth international produced a composed, commanding display in midfield during the victory over City, the kind of performance that turns admiration into bids. He has since been linked with a £45 million move, with Manchester United and Chelsea both circling.
Speaking to the BBC, Garlick did nothing to close that avenue.
“I think Myles has had a fantastic end to last season and he’s started this season really well and we are very very happy with him,” he said. “Ethan’s had a great pre-season as well and it’s just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those players in terms of their careers moving forwards but we are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players.
“If the right opportunity came up and it was right for them and it was right for the club then we’d obviously consider that.”
The message was clear: Arsenal will not push them out, but they will listen.
Pride in Hale End, realism in the market
Behind the scenes, there is no disguising the pride in Hale End. Both teenagers have impressed Arteta’s staff throughout pre-season, training and playing with a maturity that belies their age. Their emergence fits perfectly with the club’s identity and recent success in promoting academy talent.
Garlick made sure to underline that point.
“We obviously believe in our academy and have been very successful with the players that have come through that academy, Myles and Ethan being two of those,” he added. “Everybody loves to see those homegrown players coming through and pulling on the shirt and contributing to the success of the team.
“It’s not something that we aim to just sell only homegrown players, as I say trading players is something that comes up all the time. There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding players. I can’t stop other clubs being interested in our players.”
That is the tension Arsenal now live with. A title-winning squad that still needs fine-tuning. A manager pushing for specific reinforcements. Two teenage midfielders attracting heavyweight interest.
If the numbers are right, sentiment may have to give way to strategy.
