Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arteta lays down clear transfer instructions to Arsenal over Man United-linked left-back | OneFootball

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Manchester United have one transfer desire before the summer window slams shut.

Having pulled off a successful midfield rebuild, the 20-time English champions are now turning their attention to signing a left-back.

Keen not to overload Luke Shaw, who has started to look like a point of weakness, INEOS are on the hunt for a reliable left-back option.

Unfortunately, it has become almost certain that their number one target for the position, Lewis Hall, will not be leaving Newcastle United.

As a result, the Red Devils have had to pivot to alternatives, one of whom is Myles Lewis-Skelly.

On Monday, it was claimed that United were hopeful of striking a deal for the Gunner, despite not being ready to meet Arsenal’s £50 million asking price.

However, while we were waiting to see how the situation would evolve, an interesting update has dropped.

Myles Lewis-Skelly Man United transfer blocked

Football Transfers are now reporting that there is no chance Lewis-Skelly leaves Arsenal. They explain:

“There are currently no active talks [over a Lewis-Skelly to Man United switch].

“Why? Because Arteta intervened. We understand that the manager was initially not privy to the conversations that were taking place with Man Utd regarding a possible move – and neither was Lewis-Skelly, for that matter.

“Once Arteta got wind of it, negotiations stopped immediately. The message from the Spaniard is quite clear: Lewis-Skelly is going nowhere, a desire that is also shared by the player.”

Since Arsenal are keen to keep their manager happy, this revelation, if accurate, crosses one more left-back option off United’s wishlist.

It will therefore be interesting to see who the 20-time English champions end up signing to answer their need for someone to offer Shaw competition at left-back.

Balde option

Alejandro Balde is certainly worth watching closely, as the Spaniard is heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona.

Man United, in turn, are heavily linked with his services. INEOS are ready to bring him to M16 on a season-long loan, though the Spanish champions are said to prefer a permanent transfer.

Should a compromise be reached, Balde could come in as the reliable left-back option Michael Carrick can count on to fully implement his tactical vision of an overlapping left-back.

The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment

Overall credibility: 8/10 Why?

✅ Reported by a source with a decent track record on Premier League transfer news

✅ No club-to-club talks confirmed

We believe Myles Lewis-Skelly’s fate is not sealed, and Man United could take advantage of Arsenal’s willingness to sell to strike a deal, despite Arteta’s stance.