Xabi Alonso would be spoiled for choice if Chelsea were to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal this summer.
Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal inspects the pitch prior to the during the pre-season friendly match between Girona FC and Arsenal FC at Montilivi Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Girona, Spain
Myles Lewis-Skelly has been linked to Chelsea(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Myles Lewis-Skelly could be exactly what Xabi Alonso needs to hit the ground running at Chelsea. The new Blues manager has enjoyed an excellent start to life at Stamford Bridge, forking out almost £250million on seven exciting players, but there's still room for improvement.
Although the transfer window doesn't shut until Tuesday, September 1, Alonso will be keen to wrap up the bulk of business before the new Premier League season gets underway in a couple of weeks. In doing so, the Spaniard will be able to finalise his squad for the campaign and begin to develop some of his more advanced ideas on the training pitch.
One of the final new faces to walk through the door at Cobham this summer could be Lewis-Skelly. football.london understands that Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign the Arsenal midfielder, whose contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in June 2030.
The Gunners could be tempted into selling Lewis-Skelly if they receive a good offer, as Andrea Berta looks to raise funds after spending £75m to prise Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. The Blues have been closely monitoring the Hale End graduate for a while, but it remains to be seen whether or not they submit a bid.
Lewis-Skelly would be an excellent addition to the Chelsea squad, providing Alonso with cover in midfield and in the backline. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at three ways the Blues could set up if they were to sign the England international.
Lewis-Skelly continues Arsenal role at Chelsea
Lewis-Skelly rarely featured for Arsenal until the business end of the season, where he largely played in the middle of the park. The teenager made a great impression, re-establishing himself as a key player under Mikel Arteta, starting in the Champions League semi-final second leg and the final.
If Chelsea were to sign Lewis-Skelly, he'd likely continue to be used in midfield. Whether Alonso chooses to play a back-four or a back-three, he'll always deploy a double pivot, which will be tasked with receiving the ball on the half-turn, playing through the press, breaking the lines, and recycling possession when the opposition is in a low block.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly(Image: Marc Atkins)
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Fortunately for the Blues manager, the Gunners star relished a similar role alongside Declan Rice towards the end of last season. At Stamford Bridge, Lewis-Skelly would likely find himself alongside Moises Caicedo or Enzo Fernandez.
Lewis-Skelly joins Chelsea duo in dream midfield
If Alonso wanted to create an overload in the middle of the park and swarm the opposition, in and out of possession, Lewis-Skelly would enable him to play a three-man midfield. Although it'd take a while to perfect on the training pitch, the Chelsea manager could field a similar dynamic to Paris Saint-Germain, with the Arsenal star, Caicedo and Fernandez seamlessly rotating between roles.
Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly
Chelsea have been presented with the chance to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC)
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Alonso finds perfect Cucurella replacement
If Alonso were to profile Jorrel Hato as a centre-half, Lewis-Skelly could be crowned as the long-term replacement to Marc Cucurella, who did an excellent job at left-back over the years. As a midfielder on paper, the Three Lions international could invert and join Caicedo in the pivot.
Chelsea would then be able to build up with a back-three and push Fernandez up into an in-possession right-sided number 10, leaving either Cole Palmer or Estevao Willian, depending on who starts on the right flank, isolated with the opposition full-back.
Lewis-Skelly would be a great addition to the Chelsea squad. But, if the Arsenal youngster wants a future in midfield, he'll have to seek assurances from Alonso regarding playing time, with Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, Valentin Barco, and Jordan Henderson chomping at the bit to play, too...