Let’s rewind a little bit here. It’s January 2026, and two of Arsenal’s best young talents are fighting for competitive action.
Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly were two of the biggest stories in English football in 2024/25. But it was largely forgotten as Mikel Arteta’s side finally won the Premier League.
Things can change quickly in football, and just a few months ago it looked like both players could be sold. This is the world of profit and sustainability we live in. If you leave the academy without leaving the academy, both are considered pure profits.
But while Nwaneri continued to struggle for minutes on loan at Marseille, Lewis-Skelly finally regained his place and made a remarkable impact.
How Lewis Skelly became a prominent figure again at Arsenal
At the beginning of 2024/25, Lewis-Skelly was not in the first-team picture. In fact, until December of that campaign, he had played just 15 minutes in the Premier League.
But when the festive season came around, this teenager quickly shot to fame and hasn’t looked back since. From December 14 to the end of the season, he missed only two league games, one of which was due to suspension.
A midfielder in the academy, he developed as a left-back and was soon starring for England. Lewis-Skelly scored on his debut for the Three Lions and looked to have secured a spot in the World Cup.
However, 2025/26 has been quite unkind to youngsters. Hale Ender had to be very patient to earn playing time, making just two starts in the league throughout the first half of the season. After that, he didn’t play at the top level for a second for two months, from early January to early March.
However, behind the scenes he was training as a midfielder, and before long Lewis-Skelly finally returned to the team, replacing Martin Zvimendi with some excellent performances in midfield.
The Spaniard appeared to have been exhausted over the past few weeks and needed time away from the team. It was to the benefit of Academy graduates.
The teenager had started four of the last six Premier League games and was believed to be able to start in the Champions League final. Having looked on the verge of being kicked out of Emirates, he has now leapfrogged Arsenal’s new World Cup winners in the standings and is once again a prominent figure.
However, it remains to be seen how long he will continue to be Declan Rice’s partner.
Arsenal could sign Louis Skelly replacement for £80m
While not a huge problem for Arsenal, midfield has become something of a problem for Arteta.
Zvimendi’s fitness levels were erratic towards the end of the season, but the same could be said for Rice, who suffered from nerve pain during the World Cup.
It will be a shock to see the England midfielder start in the opening game against Coventry City. He will need a sufficient amount of rest before returning to action at the Emirates Stadium.
Combine this with Zvimendi’s form and fitness and it is no surprise that the Gunners are looking to sign a new midfielder. Lille’s Ayyoub Bouadi and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães remain linked.
The situation surrounding the Brazilian has been complicated by Sandro Tonali’s £100m departure and the midfield market situation this summer. Most notably, Elliott Anderson moved to Manchester City in a £116m move.
Arsenal are unwilling to pay a similar price for the 28-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, but are prepared to pay a hefty transfer fee. talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook revealed this week: “I think Guimarães will happen. If they get something close to £80m or more then they will negotiate with that player. I expect that player to go through.”
So why should Louis Skelly be concerned about this move? After all, he’s already one leapfrog away from a big-money contract in the form of Zvimendi.
Guimarães vs. Luis Skelly: 25/26 League Stats | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (every 90 minutes) | Guimaraes | MLS |
shot | 1.4 | 0.2 |
An opportunity has arisen | 1.7 | 0.6 |
The tackle I made | 2.3 | 1.1 |
Take-up completed | 0.7 | 1.1 |
foul win | 2.8 | 2.1 |
won an aerial battle | 0.5 | 0.8 |
Won a ground duel | 5.7 | 4.2 |
won a duel | 6.2 | 4.9 |
Number of balls collected | 5.0 | 3.9 |
The truth is that the Newcastle captain has the potential to be a complete game-changer in the middle of the park for the Gunners.
Indeed, Lewis-Skelly is exciting, raw and has the ball-carrying ability to rival the best midfielders in the game. But Guimarães is even more refined than the Arsenal teenager at the moment, a great leader and more balanced.
Last season, the 28-year-old had the best season of his career, scoring nine goals in front of goal. He also recorded seven assists for his troubles.
A wicked dead ball taker, his arrival will be music to Nicolas Jobar’s ears, but as well as possessing incredible technique and the ability to make things happen in the final third, Guimarães is also a fierce midfield combatant.
Last season, he won 6.20 duels per 90 minutes, which was enough to rank him at 21%, the best of any Premier League midfielder. By comparison, Lewis Skelly won only 4.90 of his 90 matches. He also made 76 professional appearances at club level, scoring just one goal.
Toon’s hero is on another level and he just steps into this Arsenal team with Rice.
