At a glance
- Manchester United interested in Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly
- Reds have three other names on summer shortlist
- English left-back looking for potential exit
Manchester United have reportedly shortlisted Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly as a potential target for this summer.
According to TEAMtalk, United will consider seizing the opportunity at signing the Hale End academy star. He has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal in 2025/26. Manager Mikel Arteta brought in left-back Pierre Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen last summer. This was in addition to Riccardo Calafiori’s arrival in 2024.
Competition from the duo has restricted Lewis-Skelly’s appearance to just one Premier League start against Brighton this season. In contrast, he has featured more prominently in the UEFA Champions League. However, the Gunner’s advancement in Europe could mean that more experienced heads are preferred against the tougher opponents.
Lewis-Skelly is thought to be considering an exit from the North London outfit. However, it is expected that United would not be the only club interested in the player. Adding to the allure of playing at Old Trafford, qualifying for the Champions League will give the club the upper hand over several other Premier League clubs.
Summer Overhaul Will Impact Luke Shaw
A summer overhaul of the senior squad is to be expected at Old Trafford. The combination of contract expiries and bit-part players on inflated wages will rationalise INEOS’ cost-cutting. It is already known that Casemiro will leave, but the futures of others are yet to be determined.
One player who is at a crossroads is Luke Shaw. United need to bring in a competitor for his place, or go as far as replacing him outright in the starting line-up. Head coach Michael Carrick has viewed Patrick Dorgu as a left-sided winger rather than a fullback, a role in which he has briefly thrived. His impending return from injury will be telling, as will be whether he is played at left-back or not.
Therefore, Shaw does not have any direct competition for his place as things stand. Harry Amass was loaned out to Norwich City, whilst Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazroui mainly just deputise there.
Shaw’s age makes him vulnerable, as he is no longer as explosive as he once was. If a new manager were to implement a style of play that depends on fullbacks aggressively getting up and down the pitch, the Englishman would be in trouble.
It is part of the reason why former managers like Erik Ten Hag and Ruben Amorim had moved him to a left-sided centre-back position at times.
Arsenal could be tough negotiators
The clubs have a history of players who have played for both teams. Mikael Silvestre, Henrikh Mkhitryan, Alexi Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and Robin Van Persie are some of the few to have donned both red shirts.
Van Persie is perhaps the most famous transfer. His goals in 2012/13 single-handedly won United the Premier League title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season at Old Trafford. Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi are current Hale End academy products who have featured for United’s first team.
United have drawn the Arsenal player’s name from a shortlist of three, which features David Raum of RB Leipzig, Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, and Fulham’s Antonee Robinson. The latter would reportedly cost United ยฃ30-40m. At the age of 29 year old, the Red Devils could be better served by pursuing Lewis-Skelly.
Negotiations with Arsenal would prove to be tougher, as Lewis-Skelly is one of, if not the highest rated Hale End graduate since Bukayo Saka. But United would be smart to exploit the situation and making a signing in line with INEOS’ preference of signing young, English talents as opposed to superstar names.
