Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arsenal respond to Man United target’s potential exit | OneFootball

Manchester United have identified Myles Lewis-Skelly as a “leading target” this summer, with Arsenal prepared to sanction their left-back’s exit on one condition, according to the latest report.

Third time’s the charm

The Red Devils have made two previous attempts in recent transfer windows to sign top prospects from the Emirates, as INEOS have prioritised acquiring the best young talent from around the world since taking charge in 2024.

Danish striker Chido Obi was signed in the summer of 2025, before Ayden Heaven was added to the defensive ranks at Old Trafford just six months later. Both players have gone on to make their first-team debuts at Old Trafford, with Heaven already a prominent member of the first-team squad.

Arsenal were keen to keep the highly rated duo in north London and offered contract proposals to do so, only for better offers to arrive from the north west of England. Now, it appears United are ready to strike again to secure another one of their rivals’ highly rated starlets in the form of Lewis-Skelly.

United prepare to strike

The 19-year-old full-back, who is also capable of playing in midfield, is already an England international after enjoying a superb breakout campaign last season. He played 40 times under Mikel Arteta and earned a nomination for the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award.

In particular, Lewis-Skelly produced an imperious display at the Santiago Bernabeu as Arsenal put Real Madrid to the sword in the quarter-final of the Champions League, eventually winning the tie 5-1 on aggregate.

It was a remarkably assured performance for a defender so young on the grandest of stages, but he demonstrates a maturity – both physically and in possession – which belies his years. His ball-carrying, in particular, is exceptional, with the ability to drive up the pitch and launch lightning fast transitions, while teammate Declan Rice has described him as “fearless”.

However, the south London native has suffered the effects of second season syndrome this year and has fallen down the pecking order after the signing of Piero Hincapie in the summer. In pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts, Arteta has consistently opted for the experience of the Ecuadorian defender and Ricardo Calafiori ahead of Lewis-Skelly, whose performances have significantly dropped as a result.

As a result, United are now “ready to take advantage of this situation” by offering the Hale End graduate an escape route to the Theatre of Dreams, according to FootballTransfers. The Red Devils are even understood to see the Arsenal dynamo as their priority at left-back, ahead of Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown – two of the club’s long-term targets.

Transfer expert Steve Kay reveals that while there would “ordinarily…be no chance of a deal” between the two bitter rivals, if Lewis-Skelly pushes for an exit then Arsenal “won’t stand in his way”. Kay even contends that a “loan could be on the cards”, with the Gunners having “already allowed Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven [to] join Man United.”

FootballTransfers concludes that the Red Devils have a “legitimate shot” of making it three from three from raids on the red half of north London this summer.

Final Thoughts – Two Birds, One Signing

United’s rapidly growing interest in Lewis-Skelly will stem from his unique profile: a young England international, already capable of thriving physically in senior football, with the versatility to play in two problem positions at Old Trafford – left-back and midfield.

The Red Devils are prioritising an overhaul of their stalling engine room, with two new options expected to arrive in place of Casemiro. However, the dismal form of Manuel Ugarte means he could join his Brazilian teammate in heading through the exit door at Old Trafford.

In this scenario, a third midfielder would need to be added, with Lewis-Skelly capable of providing this depth in the middle of the pitch, while simultaneously offering a long-term successor to Luke Shaw at full-back.

A loan would be a sensible option for United, given how stretched the budget will be this summer. But it feels incredibly unlikely Arsenal would sanction that deal to a competitor.

Instead, the Red Devils will need to stump up a significant offer, worth around £50 million, to bring their bitter rival to the negotiating table – and, even then, Lewis-Skelly will have to push for the move to go through in order to get the Gunners’ seal of approval.

Featured image Clive Mason via Getty Images

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