Paul Scholes Criticizes Arsenal's Transfer Strategy Over Myles Lewis-Skelly
Paul Scholes has taken aim at Arsenal’s transfer thinking, accusing the club of targeting the wrong sacrifice this summer as speculation swirls around Myles Lewis-Skelly’s future.
The 19-year-old midfielder has been linked with a surprise move to Premier League rivals, yet in Scholes’ eyes it is one of Mikel Arteta’s big-name signings who should be feeling the heat instead.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, the Manchester United legend made his stance brutally clear.
"I prefer Lewis-Skelly in centre midfield to Zubimendi," Scholes said. "I think Zubimendi struggled last year. If there’s one player you are going to get rid of, it would be him."
That line cut straight to the heart of a wider frustration. Scholes doesn’t just see a football decision; he sees a cultural one. Letting a homegrown talent walk to make room for a signing who has yet to convince strikes a nerve for a man who lived through a similar moment at Old Trafford.
He drew a direct parallel with Manchester United’s decision to sell Danny Welbeck to North London, a move that still grates.
"It reminds me a little bit of when Danny Welbeck left Manchester United. I hated it, didn’t like it. Now, Danny was a little bit older than Myles Lewis-Skelly, but when you’re losing your own players, it’s disappointing."
The suggestion that Arsenal have been actively offering Lewis-Skelly to domestic rivals has jarred beyond Manchester. At Anfield, it raised eyebrows too.
Jamie Carragher admitted he was baffled by reports earlier this week that Arsenal had potentially put Lewis-Skelly’s name to both Chelsea and Manchester United. For a teenager who has already shown flashes on the biggest European stages, the idea of being shopped around felt jarring.
"Do you think it’s from his side or the club’s side? That’s the thing that was a little bit strange about it," Carragher said. "It felt almost like Arsenal offered Manchester United Myles Lewis-Skelly. It wasn’t Myles Lewis-Skelly saying I want to leave or his people putting something out. That’s where the shock came from. I still can’t believe it."
Carragher then turned to the footballing reality. To break through at that level, at that age, you need something rare.
"You can’t play at that level unless you’re pretty special at that age. All young players have ups and downs. Last season he didn’t play as much as he probably would have liked."
The message from both former players was clear: talents like Lewis-Skelly are supposed to be protected, not packaged.
Arteta, though, is giving nothing away. Cornered on the subject of Lewis-Skelly’s future earlier this week, the Arsenal manager stuck to a tight script and refused to fuel the story.
"I’m not going to talk about any speculation," he said. "If there is a speculation about our players, that’s a good sign."
For now, the debate rages outside the club walls. Inside, Arsenal must decide what they value more this summer: the promise of a gifted academy midfielder, or the persistence of a high-profile signing still trying to justify his place.
