Wayne Rooney Urges Manchester United to Sign Myles Lewis-Skelly
Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester United to pounce on what he calls a transfer “no-brainer” in Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly – just as the Gunners hierarchy send mixed signals over the teenager’s long-term future.
Questions around Lewis-Skelly’s position at the Emirates surfaced recently after intermediaries sounded out several clubs, including United and Chelsea, over a possible deal for the 19-year-old. Standard Sport reported that both Premier League giants had been offered the chance to move for the versatile prospect.
Inside Arsenal, though, the message is different. The understanding is that Lewis-Skelly is not currently pushing to leave and is not exploring a move away from the club where he has just broken through.
That hasn’t cooled Rooney’s enthusiasm.
Speaking on the Stick to United podcast, the former United captain argued that his old club should move decisively, especially with a reported price tag of around £45million.
“I don’t think you can rely on Luke Shaw to be consistent for the whole season and that leads me to Myles Lewis-Skelly,” Rooney said. “We’re hearing that he could be available for not that much money, so I think that’s an absolute no-brainer.
“If you can get a player in who can play left-back and centre-midfield, that’s an absolute no-brainer. He’s young and he’s got a massive future ahead of him.
“Arsenal have spent a lot over the last couple of years so selling Lewis-Skelly makes some sense as it would be pure profit. I don’t think it would be a great look but I can see why they might sell him.
“If you’re United and he becomes available it’s a no-brainer, they definitely need to bring in a left-back, that’s a priority for United.”
Rooney’s argument is clear: United’s long-standing issues at left-back, combined with Lewis-Skelly’s ability to operate both in defence and midfield, make the England youth international an obvious target.
Back in north London, Arsenal’s hierarchy has tried to calm the noise. Chief executive Richard Garlick appeared to shut down the idea of a sale when he spoke to talkSPORT, praising Lewis-Skelly’s rapid rise.
“Myles has had a fantastic end to last season and he started this season really well and as I say we're always looking to retain and build on our best players,” Garlick said. “Obviously there may be speculation, I'm not going to go into that from other clubs but we're very happy with Myles and the position he's in at the club.”
That sounded like a firm stance. Then came a slight twist.
In a separate interview with the BBC, Garlick broadened the picture, suggesting that while Arsenal are not pushing to cash in on their academy products, nothing is completely off the table. He mentioned Lewis-Skelly and fellow homegrown talent Ethan Nwaneri in the same breath.
“We’re not actively looking at selling those homegrown players, but if the right opportunity came up and it was right for them and right for the club, then we’d obviously consider that,” he added.
So the message is nuanced. Arsenal want to keep Lewis-Skelly. They value him highly, both on the pitch and on the balance sheet. But in a market where homegrown, versatile players can command huge fees and deliver “pure profit” under financial rules, the door is not locked.
United and Chelsea have already been invited to look. Rooney has made his verdict plain.
The next move belongs to the clubs.
