via Reuters
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly this summer, and it's a deal they must go all out to complete.
The Red Devils are in the market to bolster their left-back options with Luke Shaw in the final 12 months of his contract, and Tyrell Malacia leaving on a free transfer at the end of his contract. Newcastle United star Lewis Hall has been earmarked as the top target, but the Magpies are proving difficult to deal with, having already sold three of their biggest stars in this window.
United are also considering adding another midfielder to the squad, having signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to replace Casemiro, while Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury at the World Cup. But while they consider their options in the final week of the window, the perfect solution has been offered to them on a plate.
Lewis-Skelly burst onto the scene for Arsenal as a teenager, featuring as a left-back for Mikel Arteta's side as they fell just short of a Premier League title while going up against Pep Guardiola's Man City team.
Last season the Englishman found regular game time a bit harder to come by, and there was talk that he could be on the move as a result. However, the 19-year-old knuckled down, and eventually fought his way into the starting lineup in central midfield for the title run-in, playing a huge part as Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.
Despite his age and frustrations earlier in the campaign, Lewis-Skelly showed his professionalism, skill, quality, and determination to make it at the highest level. That is what Man Utd need in their squad.
Lewis-Skelly and Hall have similarities
Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Lewis-Skelly has shown an ability to play at a very high level in two difficult positions, with huge pressure and expectation, despite being just 19.
Hall broke through at Chelsea as a central midfielder but has become one of the top left-back prospects around, with his high-energy style and quality on the ball huge attributes in his game. But injuries have been a bit of an issue for the 21-year-old, missing more than 30 games over the last two seasons.
We've also never seen Hall play as a central midfielder regularly in men's football, and there is no guarantee he can do the job there.
Man Utd know that they need additions in several positions, and Lewis-Skelly can provide that. Whether they want a more possession-heavy approach meaning he can play at left-back, if they're short on options in midfield, or they just want to rotate the likes of Kobbie Mainoo out of the team to keep players fresh and maintain the high level, Lewis-Skelly is the answer for all of those problems.
Reports suggest that a deal could be done for around £45million, and that would be a huge bargain. Hall is reportedly valued in excess of £70million, which is making any move difficult.
But even if they were the same price, Lewis-Skelly would be the better signing. Despite his age, his experience could be invaluable in a squad trying to get back to winning ways, and his mentality is proven to be top-notch, which has seen Arteta label him as 'phenomenal'. Lewis-Skelly is a genuinely game-changing signing for Man Utd.
One player can rarely have such a huge effect on a team, but Lewis-Skelly can be that signing for Man Utd this summer, and INEOS should be going all out to get it over the line.