Ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith doesn’t think Myles Lewis-Skelly will join Man Utd this summer.
Reports suggest that both the Red Devils and Chelsea were offered the 19-year-old, but speaking exclusively to Man U News (courtesy of Best Betting Sites UK), Smith said the Gunners would not sanction a move due to backlash from their own supporters:
“It’s maybe a difficult one for him. I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave. He’d love to play for Arsenal, and he had a great end to the season, Champions League final, and everything. The manager trusts him and rates him in midfield, but with Guimaraes coming in, Lewis-Skelly will be thinking: ‘Is it good for me to stay here’?”
“But I can’t see Arsenal selling to a rival like Manchester United. You can imagine the fans’ reaction, and also it sends out a bad message.”
Financial Fair Play could force Arsenal to offload Lewis-Skelly
It has been reported that the Premier League champions are under serious pressure to sell before the transfer window closes due to UEFA spending rules.
For that reason, Lewis-Skelly could be on the market, but the £45m asking price, which has been mentioned in some reports, is considerably below the figure that the London club would demand. £60m may, however, be a more acceptable amount.
Would Man Utd make a move for the defender?
It has been suggested that United deem Lewis-Skelly too expensive, and they have already identified their top target to reinforce the left-hand side of defence – Newcastle’s Lewis Hall.
However, there is still a good chance that Hall isn’t attainable, and Director of Football Jason Wilcox may end up looking at alternatives anyway.
Lewis-Skelly could come under consideration, along with the likes of Racing Santander’s Jorge Salinas, RB Leipzig’s David Raum and Club Brugge’s Joaquin Seys.