Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly might actually be the unfortunate victim of one of Mikel Arteta’s imminent transfer decisions.
Arsenal are currently wasting very little time on the transfer front, new sporting director Andrea Berta is already making significant moves.
Berta has spoken to Benjamin Sesko at RB Leipzig and the striker already has his heart set on a move to north London.
Sesko is itching to sign for Arsenal, and it’s just a discrepancy between the two clubs’ valuations that seems to be holding a deal back.
But Arsenal aren’t just in the market for a striker this summer, they’re also focused on signing a new left winger who can elevate the level of their attack.
Arsenal’s Rodrygo interest could be bad news for Myles Lewis-Skelly
That being said, Arsenal are considering a move for Rodrygo from Real Madrid, something TBR Football have been aware of for some time.
To back up those reports, journalist Ben Jacobs just shared on X that Arsenal have ‘genuine interest’ in Rodrygo, who would cost the Gunners around £77m this summer.
And whilst a move for Rodrygo would obviously be well received by Arsenal fans, it might not be such good news for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Lewis-Skelly was brilliant for Arsenal last season — he’s now Mikel Arteta’s first choice left-back and he’s almost unstoppable when inverting into midfield at times.
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo Goes caches a ball in the Champions League match against Arsenal
Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
However, the full-back’s role might look very different were Rodrygo signed, who is a different player to Gabriel Martinelli, Lewis-Skelly’s usual left-sided partner.
Over the past couple of seasons, Martinelli has occasionally been criticised for a drop in his attacking numbers, but those words have mostly been unfair — they don’t recognise what the Brazilian sacrifices to maintain Arsenal’s shape.
READ MORE: Arsenal predicted XI for Premier League opener vs Man United, Benjamin Sesko and £51m star make debuts
Gabriel Martinelli doesn’t get enough credit at Arsenal
In the bulk of Arsenal’s games, Martinelli will stay very wide out by the left touchline in order to support Lewis-Skelly’s runs into the middle.
Martinelli does so much unseen work to support the players around him, meaning that finding an upgrade won’t be easy for Arteta.
And whilst Rodrygo does work hard in his own right, he’s much more of a maverick type forward, the kind of player who can score 15-20 goals in a single league campaign.
But if Rodrygo and Lewis-Skelly both want to cut inside, something’s got to give.
In truth, if Arsenal sign Rodrygo then he would be much better supported by a traditional explosive full-back, someone who loves to stay wide and overlap on the wing.
And whilst Lewis-Skelly will never be dropped, he might have to adapt his game somewhat, sacrificing some of his own attacking ambitions.
Martinelli does a lot of underrated work at Arsenal, and Arteta would need to adjust his system in order to add Rodrygo to his team.