Arsenal star’s agent planning showdown talks with Mikel Arteta, says Ray Parlour | Football

Myles Lewis-Skelly will probably be ‘dissatisfied’ together with his season at Arsenal and can seek reassurances over his future from Mikel Arteta this summer, based on former Gunners star Ray Parlour.

After emerging from the Hale End, Lewis-Skelly enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 campaign, forcing his way into the Arsenal starting XI and making his England debut – marking it with a goal against Latvia.

He made 42 club appearances in total last season, 15 of those starting roles within the Premier League, along with being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Yr. But this season has been a really different story.

While he has been a daily starter within the Champions League, the 19-year-old has began only one Premier League match this season , making only one appearance off the bench because the turn of the yr. Riccardo Calafiori is Arteta’s firm first selection at left-back when fit with summer signing Piero Hincapie deputising in his absence.

While one other Arsenal academy graduate in Ethan Nwaneri was in a position to secure a loan move away to Marseille in January, Lewis-Skelly can have to stay patient in north London.

Arsenal are still fighting on 4 fronts and opportunities are more likely to come this this week with a visit to Brighton on Wednesday before the FA Cup fifth round clash away to Mansfield on Saturday.

But after a whirlwind 18 months for the teenager, Parlour believes there may very well be some difficult conversations ahead. An academy graduate himself who went onto win three Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups, the Arsenal legend has advised the teen to ‘work that bit harder’ to force his way back into Arteta’s plans.

‘Nwaneri may understand things as he’s a bit of younger and got his loan but Lewis-Skelly will probably be dissatisfied,’ Parlour told  Metro via BetMGM.

‘Rather a lot has happened in his profession in a short time. He got into the Arsenal team, played for England, scored for England all at a really young age and suddenly he’s been ignored.

‘I don’t know what his attitude is like in training day by day. As a teen, you simply must get your head down. Sometimes you’ll be able to get too big for you boots when it’s all going well for you. I’ve seen it occur quite a number of times with players.

‘Whenever you get ignored you will have to make certain you’re employed hard in training. Be sure you show the manager what you might be about.

‘I’m from the surface looking in, I don’t know what they do in training or what the attitudes with players who’re left is like. But what I might say is when you’re ignored, you might be still within the manager’s plans but you will have to work that bit harder. Be sure the manager sees you and that you simply are able to do anything to get into that side.’

Arsenal haven’t considered a loan for Lewis-Skelly this season but unless his situation changes dramatically, talks over his role will certainly happen this summer.

The long-term contract Lewis-Skelly signed on the Emirates last summer was negotiated by his mother and agent Marcia Lewis. Asked if conversations will happen to reassure the full-back over his future in north London, Parlour said: ‘I’m sure there will probably be, I’m sure he and his agent will probably be going to see Arteta and asking what the long run looks like.

‘I don’t think they may want him to depart. There is perhaps a loan situation. Hincapie has been an excellent signing and naturally Calafiori is a top player and is first selection.

‘There may be a variety of competition. You should keep your young players but people get frustrated once they are usually not playing. He has to bide his time.’

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