Arsenal Chief Executive Talks Potential Summer Exits for Academy Stars
Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick has refused to shut the door on potential summer exits for academy starlets Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, as the Premier League champions weigh up sales to fund late-window reinforcements.
Mikel Arteta’s side, fresh from their Community Shield win over Manchester City, have so far moved cautiously in the market. Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes have arrived to deepen a title-winning squad, but the manager still wants at least two more faces: defensive cover for the injured William Saliba and an additional attacking option.
To do that, Arsenal may have to cash in on some of their most valuable homegrown assets.
Big clubs circle academy jewels
Nwaneri appears the likelier of the two to move on at this stage. The 17-year-old, long regarded as one of the brightest prospects in English football, was left out of the matchday squad for Sunday’s Community Shield victory, a decision that has only intensified talk around his future.
Lewis-Skelly, by contrast, was front and centre at Wembley. Stationed at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, the England youth international delivered a composed, eye-catching display that underlined why Europe’s elite have been tracking him for some time. That performance has now been followed by links to a £45 million move, with Manchester United and Chelsea both credited with serious interest.
Speaking to the BBC, Garlick made it clear Arsenal are not actively looking to sell either teenager – but he also stopped well short of guaranteeing they will stay.
“I think Myles has had a fantastic end to last season and he’s started this season really well and we are very very happy with him,” Garlick said. “Ethan’s had a great pre-season as well and it’s just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those players in terms of their careers moving forwards but we are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players.
“If the right opportunity came up and it was right for them and it was right for the club then we’d obviously consider that.”
The message is clear: Arsenal will listen, at the right price.
Pride in the academy, pressure in the market
Behind the scenes, the club remain fiercely proud of Hale End and what it continues to produce. Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri have both impressed the first-team staff throughout pre-season, pushing their way into Arteta’s thoughts at a time when the squad is under constant scrutiny.
Garlick stressed that any sale would not signal a shift away from youth development, but rather reflect the realities of a transfer market in which homegrown talent can command huge fees.
“We obviously believe in our academy and have been very successful with the players that have come through that academy, Myles and Ethan being two of those,” he said. “Everybody loves to see those homegrown players coming through and pulling on the shirt and contributing to the success of the team.
“It’s not something that we aim to just sell only homegrown players, as I say trading players is something that comes up all the time. There’s been a lot of speculation surrounding players. I can’t stop other clubs being interested in our players.”
Arsenal’s stance leaves the window finely poised. Keep Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, and Arteta retains two high-ceiling prospects who could shape the club’s future. Cash in now, and the Gunners arm themselves for one last push in a market where rivals are already spending aggressively.
With United and Chelsea circling and the clock ticking, Arsenal must decide what matters more this summer: maximising the value of their academy or doubling down on a squad built to defend the title.
