Arsenal duo Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly wanted by rivals despite recent new contracts | OneFootball

The lack of game time for Arsenal talents Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri has reportedly attracted interest from other clubs.

Arsenal are perhaps having their best season under Mikel Arteta. The top Premier League club at Christmas again – now two points above second-placed Manchester City – the Gunners also top the Champions League table.

They have one of the best squads in the world and while some stars have benefitted this season, there are others who aren’t getting the game time they’d be hoping for.

Left-back Lewis-Skelly was playing for England last season but now isn’t starting for Arsenal, with Riccardo Calafiori the preferred player on the left side of the defence.

Fellow academy graduate Nwaneri is another prodigious talent who is not being given a lot of football as a result of the form of the likes of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze.

Given their lack of minutes, The Athletic reports the pair have accrued interest from elsewhere.

They are said to feature on ‘several clubs’ lists’ though there is no further information on which clubs those are, and in which leagues.

In any case, Arsenal are said to be reluctant to losing the talents, who both signed new contracts in the summer.

It was reported in November that the Gunners would consider the sale of Lewis-Skelly if a substantial bid was received. It was stated at the time that major clubs around Europe were circling for the left-back.

That was at the same time that it was said England boss Thomas Tuchel had told the Arsenal man he needed to be playing more if he was going to get into the Three Lions squad.

Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett said: “My understanding is that Thomas Tuchel has told him he needs to play more football if he’s going to be a candidate for that World Cup squad next summer, and at the moment, he isn’t playing enough for Arsenal.

“We know there are a number of Premier League clubs monitoring his situation.

“Arsenal have no desire to sell. They are competing still on four fronts when it comes to trophies. Their squad is stretched a little bit at the moment because of one or two injury problems.

“Myles Lewis-Skelly will get minutes for Arsenal going forward. And he has of course recently signed a new five-year contract.

“But if you take all of that aside, the reality is that Myles Lewis-Skelly is Arsenal’s third-choice left-back, behind Calafiori and [Piero] Hincapie and that is not a good place for him to be with his England prospects in mind.

“And if Arsenal were to consider selling him, another academy graduate where 100 per cent of his transfer fee would go as profit, so that will appeal to Arsenal in in the long term, but Mikel Arteta sees him as a very important player.

“Would be really interesting to see in January if a Premier League club or a European club came in with a big offer, would Arsenal entertain that? They’re certainly not encouraging any offers like that right now.

“Myles Lewis-Skelly one to watch in January and see if there’s any appetite for clubs coming in for him.”