Journalist: Arsenal stance on £120m midfielder takes fresh turn | OneFootball

Arsenal transfer latest as Myles Lewis-Skelly commits, Gabriel Martinelli stays and Mikel Arteta eyes late moves

Arsenal’s summer has already carried the swagger of champions, and as the window moves into its final stretch, the mood around the club feels ambitious, watchful and full of possibility. According to The Athletic, there is plenty still brewing at the Emirates, from Myles Lewis-Skelly’s future to Gabriel Martinelli’s stance on interest from abroad, and from Mikel Arteta’s hunt for reinforcements to difficult calls over who may yet leave.

The broad picture is clear enough. Arsenal have pushed hard in the market, they have already committed major money, and they are still searching for the finishing touches before the September 1 deadline. The report notes that “The signing of Bruno Guimaraes has propelled their spending into nine figures once more”, a reminder that this is a club operating with force and intent. But there is another side to the ledger too, because “profitable sales would be welcomed.”

That is modern elite football in a nutshell. Arsenal are trying to strengthen from a position of power while staying smart. It is a balancing act, but it is also the mark of a club that knows exactly where it wants to go next.

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Myles Lewis-Skelly sends a powerful Arsenal message

Few players have generated quite as much excitement in recent weeks as Myles Lewis-Skelly. His impact on the pitch has been obvious, and the noise around him off it has only added to the fascination. Yet the key line in this latest update should settle plenty of nerves among Arsenal supporters.

The Athletic reports, “Lewis-Skelly is fully focused on establishing himself at Arsenal. He is not exploring or pursuing a move away.” For a young talent of his profile, that matters. It says plenty about his own mindset, and it says plenty about the faith he has in the pathway laid out for him by Arteta and the club.

There had been talk after he was “seemingly being offered to Manchester United and Chelsea”, but Arsenal’s rising star answered in the best possible way. He “scored in their friendly against Como, celebrating with a heart gesture, and then starred in their Community Shield victory over Manchester City, creating the first goal for Riccardo Calafiori.”

That sequence felt significant. It was the sort of week that can shift a player from promising youngster to genuine first-team factor. The goal, the celebration, the big-game contribution, all of it painted the picture of a footballer leaning in rather than looking elsewhere.

And that should energise Arsenal. Lewis-Skelly brings verve, personality and versatility. He has already shown he can handle senior responsibility, and his desire to stay and fight for his place is exactly the kind of internal boost title-winning squads need. In a market where clubs scour Europe for the next answer, Arsenal may already have one developing in front of their own supporters’ eyes.

Gabriel Martinelli future points to Arsenal stability

If Lewis-Skelly’s situation offers encouragement for the future, Gabriel Martinelli’s stance is important for the here and now. The report states that the Brazilian “also informed Arsenal he was not interested in joining Galatasaray, after the Turkish club made a €45million offer.”

That is a strong line, and a revealing one. Martinelli remains a player of huge value to Arteta, not simply because of his direct threat and work rate, but because he still feels like a footballer with another level to reach. There are times when his end product can be dissected and his consistency debated, but opponents still fear him. His pace, aggression and willingness to take on defenders make him a live wire in any Arsenal front line.

There is another wrinkle to the story, because Arsenal and Galatasaray “have been in dialogue over several players, principally Martinelli, but there are no active negotiations over a potential transfer for Osimhen.” That should dampen one of the more eye-catching rumours doing the rounds. Victor Osimhen is a huge name, but on this information there is no Arsenal move to pore over, no advanced process to analyse, no hidden twist to anticipate.

Instead, the Martinelli update feels more meaningful. He has made his own feelings known, Arsenal retain a dangerous and proven wide option, and Arteta keeps a player capable of changing games in an instant. In a window that can often become too obsessed with who arrives next, there is value in holding on to the right ones too.

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Defender and attacker remain on Mikel Arteta agenda

Arsenal are not done. That is one of the clearest messages from this latest report. “Arsenal would still like to add a defender and an attacker before the September 1 deadline.” It is concise, but it says a lot about where the club believe the squad can still be sharpened.

At the back, “Ezri Konsa has been the top defensive target, but Arsenal are hoping Aston Villa are prepared to compromise on their £60million price tag.” You can see the attraction. Konsa is Premier League-proven, tactically intelligent and well suited to a side that expects defenders to be comfortable in several scenarios, from defending high spaces to circulating the ball under pressure.

There is also a profile Arsenal are clearly prioritising. “Their preference is a defender who can play at both centre-back and right-back,” which explains the mention of “Jarrell Quansah of Bayer Leverkusen, who have no intention of selling.” Before this summer, Arsenal also “made enquiries about Atletico Madrid’s Marc Pubill, but the Spanish club are equally determined to hold on to the 23-year-old.”

That tells its own story. Arsenal are not merely shopping by name, they are shopping by function. Flexibility matters. In a long season, especially for a team chasing major honours on multiple fronts, multi-role defenders can be priceless. Arteta likes solutions rather than passengers, and that recruitment line fits perfectly with his thinking.

Further forward, Arsenal “would also like to augment their attack.” The report adds, “Their focus has been on the left wing, but there is some flexibility around this should the right forward become available.” Again, there is a practical logic to it. Arsenal want quality, but they also want the right opportunity. If the market opens a door, they are ready to move through it.

The names are ambitious. “The club have long-term targets such as Kenan Yildiz and Julian Alvarez, and are waiting to see if the market renders one available. Alternatively, they will have to pivot to alternative targets.” That is classic late-window strategy. Stay alert, monitor movement, and be prepared when elite situations shift.

Then there is the younger end of the market, where “Arsenal’s protracted pursuit of Blackburn Rovers’ 18-year-old striker Igor Tyjon continues.” The report explains that “Arsenal made several bids for Tyjon, but Blackburn have been unwilling to sell, leading to a standoff.” It is another sign of a club planning for now and later, trying to protect the present while stocking up for the future.

Outgoing decisions could shape Arsenal’s final days

Every transfer window eventually becomes as much about exits as arrivals, and Arsenal are no different. The report points to Mikel Arteta’s Community Shield squad as an early clue, saying it “gave some indication of who may be surplus to requirements.”

There was “no great surprise that Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson failed to make the squad”, with the pair “wanted by Hamburg and West Ham United respectively.” Those are relatively straightforward cases, players who may need fresh opportunities and whose departures could help Arsenal create room on the wage bill and in the squad list.

The more intriguing line is this one, “It was more noteworthy that Arteta could not find a place on the bench for Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri or Gabriel Jesus.” In Martinelli’s case, that now looks less like an exit signal and more like one of those selection decisions that can be magnified in pre-season and early silverware games. But Nwaneri’s situation is described as “delicate”, and that word lands heavily.

The Athletic says, “Arsenal recognise his talent, but accept his pathway may be congested. Furthermore, his sale would be recorded as pure profit in financial calculations, as academy players have a book value of zero.” It is the cold language of football finance applied to one of the brightest young talents at the club, and it underlines the hard choices even successful sides must sometimes weigh up.

No Arsenal supporter wants to lose gifted academy players lightly. Yet elite squad-building often forces a brutal question, can a player realistically get the minutes needed, or does his value in the market become too tempting to ignore? Arsenal will have to answer that carefully.

What feels undeniable is that these final weeks matter. Arsenal have already gone big, they remain active, and they still have decisions to make at both ends of the squad. This is what serious contention looks like. It is not tidy, it is not always comfortable, but it is focused on keeping a title-winning team fresh, dangerous and hungry.

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Our View

From an Arsenal fan’s point of view, this update is packed with reasons to be excited. The biggest one is Myles Lewis-Skelly. To read that “Lewis-Skelly is fully focused on establishing himself at Arsenal. He is not exploring or pursuing a move away” is exactly what supporters want to hear. He looks like a proper Arsenal player, brave, technical, full of personality, and ready for the big stage.

Martinelli staying matters as well. Plenty of fans know he had a few frustrating patches, but there is no way you casually let go of a player with his speed, intensity and big-game threat. Him turning down that move says a lot about his belief in this team.

Then there is the bigger picture. Arsenal still want a defender and an attacker, and that is what champions should do. No standing still, no self-congratulation, just keep improving. Bruno Guimaraes coming in already feels like a statement, and if Arteta adds one more defender plus a serious attacking option, this squad will look frighteningly strong.

The only nervous bit is the possibility of losing someone like Ethan Nwaneri because of financial logic and a blocked pathway. Supporters always want academy stars to make it here. But overall, the feeling is positive. Arsenal look decisive, ambitious and alive to opportunity. That is exactly how a top club should behave when it wants to stay at the top.

Source: The Athletic