Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal contract prediction made as Mikel Arteta faces possible Ethan Nwaneri difficulty

Arsenal expert Charles Watts is optimistic that a new contract will be agreed with Myles Lewis-Skelly before the start of pre-season, and he would be "flabbergasted" if anything came of reports linking him with a move to Real Madrid.

In the space of just one season, Lewis-Skelly has astonishingly gone from a fringe academy graduate to Mikel Arteta's first-choice left-back, playing 39 times for Arsenal last season and coming up with one goal and two assists.

The 18-year-old's tremendous feats are said to have caught the eye of 15-time European champions Real Madrid, who have set their sights on the England international as Ferland Mendy's possible left-back successor.

Arsenal are fighting tooth and nail to tie Lewis-Skelly down to a new long-term deal, though, and speaking to Sports Mole, Watts expressed complete confidence that the teenager would resist the advances of Real Madrid.

"If you're a good young player, you're going to be wanted by the best clubs. And Lewis-Skelly has shown he's one of the best young talents in world football," Watts said. "It wouldn't surprise me if other clubs are looking at him, but it would absolutely surprise me if he ended up going anywhere.

"He's Arsenal through and through, playing week in, week out, got himself in the England setup because of Mikel Arteta, the trust that he's shown in him. I just can't see there's any way [he leaves].

Watts: 'Flabbergasted if Lewis-Skelly signs for Real Madrid'

"You can never know in football, but that one, I think flabbergasted would be the absolute correct word. I just couldn't see any reason for him not renewing. This has been his dream since he first arrived at Hale End as a seven-year-old. Why would you go anywhere, even for a club like Real Madrid at this stage in your career? It just it wouldn't make any sense.

"I'm sure that deal will get done in the summer. Him and Ethan both have a year left, so it is pressing. But I'd be absolutely astounded if Myles Lewis-Skelly doesn't sign, maybe even before the start of pre-season, but certainly before the start of the season."

Lewis-Skelly was officially promoted to Arsenal's senior ranks last summer, but he will be in the last 12 months of his deal in July and is one of several contract situations for sporting director Andrea Berta to sort out.

The teenager's fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri is also free to leave in 2026, while talks are ongoing with Thomas Partey, who is out of contract this month but has reportedly now been offered an extension.

Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes's deals all run out in 2027, but the latter is now believed to be in advanced talks over a renewal and is expected to put pen to paper soon.

Asked who Arsenal's next contract priority should be after Gabriel, Watts was loath to single out one player, although he expressed concern that Nwaneri may be slightly more difficult to tie down than Lewis-Skelly given his pathway to the first team is currently blocked by Saka and Martin Odegaard.

Watts fears "slightly more difficult" Ethan Nwaneri contract talks

© Imago

"They're all equally important as each other," he added. "You don't want to let Saka and Saliba get down to that final year, because then you're in a really difficult situation. The power's gone from you, the power's with the player, potentially with the clubs who are whispering in those players' ears.

"As much as so much focus is on the new signings, the renewals are equally if not more important. All of those players need to get sorted ideally before the start of the season, which shows it's a massive job Andrea Berta's got on his hands. No time to get your feet under the table.

"I think Ethan might be slightly more difficult just because of his situation. Myles is absolutely first choice left back. He knows he's going to be playing next season. Ethan is slightly different because, where do you play Ethan?

"He's not grabbed his place in the team yet, which is fine because he's 18. It's very rare that that happens. But in the positions he plays, you've got Saka, Martin Odegaard. So it's slightly more difficult to lay out the pathway in terms of how many minutes you're going to get. But I still expect both ultimately to get done."

On Wednesday, Arsenal confirmed a list of 20 men's, women's and academy players who would be leaving at the end of their contracts, and they could reportedly repeat Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid trick with one of their departing members.

Written by
Ben Knapton