Arsenal begin negotiations on £39m ‘phenomenon’ contract

Budapest awaits Arsenal, who reached the Champions League final after winning the battle of the dark arts against Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone on Tuesday.

The Gunners have gone from a team spiraling out of control in the title race to one on track to achieve a sensational double.

Thierry Henry says it’s been 20 years since his Arsenal team became an “invincible team” and now is the chance for Mikel Arteta’s side to become “an unforgettable team”.

That’s what it means, and what it could mean for a reborn Miles Lewis Skelly.

How Lewis Skelly became Arsenal’s key again

It’s no coincidence that Arsenal’s front line has looked more dangerous since Lewis-Skelly’s return. Almost as the buzzer sounded, Arteta slotted the Hale End graduate into his natural midfield role and unleashed what could be his best shot.

This gave them an impressive title advantage against Fulham, and they then overpowered a tough Atletico Madrid side.

Patience is truly a virtue as far as Lewis Skelly is concerned. For a while, it looked like the 19-year-old was doomed to lose confidence, get off to an expensive start and be eliminated in north London.

Alas, between these two games he unexpectedly became important at the most important times.

The most impressive part of his performance was his third and final pass. That’s why Bukayo Saka looks more dangerous and why Victor Gokeres looks better than ever in an Arsenal shirt.

They provided an outlet and Lewis Skelly often provided the first pass to initiate free attacking movements. It was incredibly refreshing.

The true background to Arsenal’s struggles in this department can be summed up by Martin Odegaard.

Compared to the teenage star, the captain won just three of his last two Premier League starts against Newcastle United and Manchester City, despite completing 11 final third passes.

Lewis-Skelly does the latter very well without sacrificing dueling success, but even that may not be enough for Andrea Berta.

Arsenal’s next signing could hinder Louis Skelly

Like all great sports directors, Berta rarely rests. Even on Tuesday, he was literally on fire at the Emirates. There will be a focus on reinforcements come summer, which could mean bringing in a new midfielder.

According to Brazil’s Globo Esporte, manager Berta has contacted the player’s agent and has begun negotiations to sign Danilo, who will move from Botafogo to Arsenal this summer.

The Gunners appear to be in a position to attack, although reports state that formal negotiations with the Brazilian side have not yet begun.

The Brazilian midfielder, who left Nottingham Forest to return to his home country last summer, has become a “mega phenomenon” in the eyes of some South American experts, scoring 10 goals in 22 games from midfield. As a result, he could end up returning to the Premier League. However, this immediately halted Lewis Skelly’s development.

Instead of spending an estimated £39m on signing Danilo, the Gunners could save money and focus on the teenager developing into a mainstay in their midfield.

After all, Arteta has seen enough to be handed the keys to the kingdom at the most crucial stage of the season. It would be unreasonable to throw it away.

Of course, that’s not to say Danilo doesn’t have his own qualities. A left-footed number eight with great athleticism, similar to Lewis Skelly, he particularly impressed in the 2023-24 season at the City Ground, scoring and assisting four goals that season, averaging 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper once described the midfielder as an “exciting prospect” and his arrival would only potentially damage Lewis-Skelly’s hopes of securing a midfield spot.

Berta should therefore rest knowing that a midfield solution may be much closer than he thinks. This solution gave Gokeres a boost and prevented Atlético from advancing to Budapest.