Ian Wright Defends Myles Lewis-Skelly and Arsenal Academy Talent
Ian Wright has launched a fierce defence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Arsenal’s academy talents, accusing intermediaries and transfer noise of distorting the club’s plans and unsettling supporters.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the former Arsenal striker pushed back hard against rumours surrounding Lewis-Skelly’s future and the role of his family.
“I don't know where that's coming from because I know for a fact that's not coming from his team,” Wright said. “It's not coming from his mum. Arsenal fans need to chill out with his mum saying that she's touting him about. Myles has already said he's happy to stay.”
For Wright, the solution is simple: Arsenal should shut the door on the speculation.
“Why have Arsenal not just said he's not for sale?” he asked. “He'd be a great signing for Manchester United, of course he would. Look what he's doing.”
That admiration for Lewis-Skelly’s talent quickly turned into concern about how Arsenal are handling their business behind the scenes. Wright pointed the finger at the growing power of intermediaries and the swirl of stories around players who, he insists, want to remain at the club.
“There's things happening and this again is what I'm worried about with Arsenal, it's the way we're doing business with intermediaries now,” he said. “How's that story happening when we know for a fact they're happy and want to stay?”
He then highlighted Gabriel Martinelli as another example of a player seemingly caught up in outside noise.
“[Gabriel] Martinelli has not been contacted by anybody at the club but has been touted about everywhere, who is doing that? Why is that happening?”
Wright questions Arsenal’s transfer logic
Wright’s frustration runs deeper than a single saga. He argued that Arsenal’s wider transfer strategy looks confused, especially when set against talk of big-money pursuits.
“You know what's confusing? How can we be in for Vinicius Junior when we're looking to break records trying to sign this guy but now we're desperate to sell. What's going on?”
He also took aim at the pattern of departures, with a number of players linked with or heading to Turkey.
“We've got a big squad and somebody has to leave but it seems like everyone leaving Arsenal is going to Turkey, that's another thing.”
The heart of his argument, though, lies in how academy products are treated under modern financial rules. Wright believes homegrown players are being viewed too much as balance-sheet assets rather than footballers to build around.
“The unfortunate thing you get when you've got a player who comes through the academy and breaks in to the first team and does what they do, you've always got that noose of pure profit on them.”
He name-checked Ethan Nwaneri as another case study. Wright welcomed the suggestion that Arsenal now favour a loan over a permanent sale, but stressed the youngster has barely had a proper chance.
“It's the same with Ethan Nwaneri. I'm hearing now that they're not going to sell him they want to loan him which I'm quite pleased about because I don't think at any stage he's had a run to have a go at playing in that team.”
Manchester United interest and a simple demand
Lewis-Skelly’s emergence has inevitably attracted attention. Wright accepts that a club like Manchester United will circle when a teenage midfielder shines at Premier League level.
“When you've got someone like Myles who is playing well, it's unbelievable what he's capable of doing then of course Manchester United will see if something can happen,” he said. “They've seen Guimaraes come in they've seen Declan Rice.”
But for Wright, that only strengthens his core argument: if the player is happy and the club value him, Arsenal should make their stance crystal clear.
“He doesn't want to leave and that's the thing that's really baffling me is why Arsenal don't just come in and say he's not for sale.”
