Arsenal's future planning may necessitate the sale of 19-year-old academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, with factors including compliance with UEFA spending rules and the need to further strengthen the squad playing a role, Daily Mail Sport has learned.
Reports emerged that Arsenal had invited offers for the England Under-19 international from Chelsea and Manchester United. While Arsenal has denied this, an intermediary reportedly informed both Premier League clubs that the player would be available at the right price.
One of the primary drivers behind this situation is UEFA's spending regulations, which operate on a calendar year basis. This makes the current transfer window the final opportunity to generate revenue through player sales, which could be crucial for facilitating new arrivals or ensuring compliance.
A potential fee of £45 million has been discussed for Lewis-Skelly, who featured in the Champions League final. However, sources close to the situation suggest that a considerably higher figure would be required to persuade Arsenal to part with the player.
As Lewis-Skelly is a product of Arsenal's academy, any transfer fee received would be classified as 'pure profit,' providing a significant boost to the club's financial balance sheet. This rule has previously led other clubs to sell homegrown assets to meet financial regulations, such as Newcastle United's sale of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest in July 2024 to comply with Premier League rules.
Arsenal has other potential avenues for generating transfer revenue. Players viewed as unlikely to feature significantly this season, such as Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus, could depart before Lewis-Skelly. The closer the transfer window gets to its September 3 closing date without other departures, the greater the likelihood of Lewis-Skelly being sold.
Manchester United is reportedly monitoring the situation, as they are in the market for a left-back. Chelsea, despite securing Spanish left-back Pep Chavarría for £16 million, might also view Lewis-Skelly as an intriguing prospect.
Arsenal has made significant investments in its squad recently, including the acquisition of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United for approximately £75 million and the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen for £34.5 million. The club also spent £34 million on forward Christos Tzolis and invested around £250 million in eight new players last summer.
While increased commercial activity and prize money from their Premier League title win and Champions League final run have bolstered finances, player bonuses have also impacted expenditures. On the outgoing side, Arsenal has recouped approximately £41 million from the departures of Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, and Christian Norgaard.