Arsenal have made quite a name for themselves as a club that gives youth a chance.
Bukayo Saka is the biggest recent success story to come through the Gunners ranks, but he’s not the only one.
The likes of Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah all did well for Arsenal after graduating from the Hale End setup.
And now, Arsenal have a new generation of youngsters coming through, with the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly impressing.
Mikel Arteta, speaking ahead of the Gunners’ Premier League meeting with Everton, shared how Lewis-Skelly “continuously surprises” the club coaches.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta talks to Myles Lewis-Skelly during a training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre on July 16, 2024 in London Colne...
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
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Mikel Arteta hails ‘really bright’ Arsenal gem Myles Lewis-Skelly
Arteta was asked by the Arsenal media team whether he feels Lewis-Skelly deserves another start for the Gunners, and he said he “certainly deserves to be in contention.”
Lewis-Skelly earned rave reviews after making his first Champions League start in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Monaco.
At 18 years and 76 days old, he became the youngest Arsenal player to start in the Champions League since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in September 2011.
Lewis-Skelly went on to deliver an impressive display for Arsenal, which included a superb pass through the lines in the lead-up to Saka’s opener.
Arteta also told reporters that the Hale End graduate is “really bright” and “continuously surprises all the staff” with the kind of questions that get the coaches thinking.
“He certainly deserves to be in contention to be selected because he performed and competed really well,” said the Arsenal boss.
“At his age, to show maturity on the pitch is strange and off the field is exactly the same.
“He is a person who continuously surprises all the staff with the kind of questions that keep all of us asking.
“A lot of times that shows you the intelligence of the person and Myles is a really bright boy.”
What Saka thinks of Lewis-Skelly
Saka is a huge fan of his young teammate, telling reporters after the Monaco game that Lewis-Skelly already belongs at the highest levels.
“What he’s doing, we see it in training,” the England international told TNT Sports. “I was pleased with him, he was a big part of the first goal.”
Saka then shared what Lewis-Skelly needs to do to build on his impressive display against Monaco.
“He’s very bright,” he said. “He just needs to keep the same head that he’s got.
“His mentality is top, he’s always asking questions, eager to learn. I’m so proud of him.”
Arsenal are scheduled to kick off against Everton at 3pm on Saturday 14 December.
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