Rio Ferdinand Urges Manchester United and Chelsea to Sign Myles Lewis-Skelly
Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United and Chelsea to stop hesitating and throw serious money at Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly this summer.
Reports claim Arsenal have offered the 19-year-old England international to both clubs, with Metro stating the Premier League champions are prepared to listen to bids after completing a £75 million move for Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle. It is a bold stance, given how central Lewis-Skelly became to Mikel Arteta’s plans last season.
The academy product had to fight his way into the side. His 2025-26 campaign started slowly, minutes hard to come by as Arsenal chased the title on multiple fronts. Then came the run-in. Arteta turned to him, and Lewis-Skelly responded with the kind of composure and versatility that instantly changed his status in the squad.
By the end of the season, he was no longer a promising youngster on the fringes. He was a key cog in a team that lifted the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.
That is exactly why Ferdinand cannot believe there is even a decision to make.
On his YouTube channel, the former United captain made his stance clear. Very clear.
“If I’m Manchester United right now I say press the green button and buy him, take him, right now,” Ferdinand said. “What a player, a top player. He was a massive part of the team when he was brought in towards the end of the season. He contributed to Arsenal winning the league, he was brilliant and came in and produced.”
For Ferdinand, the numbers being discussed only sharpen the argument. A fee in the region of £60–70 million for a 19-year-old with Premier League and Champions League pedigree looks like a rare opportunity in an inflated market.
“If he’s on the market and he’s a good price you have to take him. The good price I’m saying is £60m or £70m. If that’s the case, get the chequebook out, slap it down and sign him. No questions asked, I would take him.”
This is not just about raw talent. It is about profile and problem-solving.
United’s left-back situation has lurked in the background for years. Luke Shaw stayed fit and played heavily last season, but beyond him the picture is far from settled. Patrick Dorgu is now viewed more as a left-winger. Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot can cover but are not natural left-backs.
Lewis-Skelly, who has shown he can operate in midfield and at left-back, ticks multiple boxes at once. That dual role is exactly what excites Ferdinand.
“He’s young, a huge talent, can play in two positions and I think mentally he’s made of the right stuff,” he said. “The left-back position at Manchester United is not a problem because we’ve got Luke Shaw who played a lot of games last season and stayed fit.
“But if he does get injured we haven’t got a natural left-back sitting there. Dorgu is more of a left-winger now and Mazraoui and Dalot aren’t full left-backs. So that’s an area I think you can bring in someone like Myles Lewis-Skelly and he can play man, definitely.”
Lewis-Skelly’s rise has been rapid. Since making his senior debut for his boyhood club in 2024, he has already racked up 75 appearances for Arsenal. His form propelled him into the England setup, where he has earned six caps, even if Thomas Tuchel left him out of the most recent World Cup squad.
Now comes the career-defining decision.
Arsenal’s move for Guimaraes has opened the door. The champions are not forcing Lewis-Skelly out, but they are listening. For United and Chelsea, the invitation is clear: turn admiration into a concrete bid or watch a rare, Premier League-ready teenager slip away.
Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge? Or one more twist, with Arsenal deciding they cannot afford to lose a player who has already proved he belongs at the very top?
