Myles Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old Arsenal academy star, has been lighting up the Emirates with his phenomenal performances. Can he be the catalyst for a new era at the club?
Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arsenal Academy Star Lighting Up Emirates
Myles Lewis-Skelly’s breakthrough season for Arsenal has been nothing short of phenomenal. The 18-year-old academy graduate has been an undoubted positive, with 15 first-team games since his debut against Manchester City in September.
From Academy to Premier League
Lewis-Skelly came through the academy as a central midfielder but has gone from strength to strength in an inverted full-back role. Such is the faith shown in him by manager Mikel Arteta that he is keeping out summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, as well as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney, who have both been linked with moves away.
These three players cost Arsenal a combined £100m, making Lewis-Skelly’s emergence all the more impressive. “He was phenomenal,” Arteta said after the victory over Tottenham. “He is a real personality. He has so much trust in himself. He has that attitude about him.”
A Moment of Pure Joy
Lewis-Skelly’s pure joy and huge, infectious smile after winning his first north London derby captured the feeling around the 18-year-old’s breakthrough season. Speaking to Arsenal legend Ian Wright after the match, Lewis-Skelly said: “I feel like a million dollars. I had to put on a show for my grandma.”
The Path to Success
Lewis-Skelly’s mum, Marcia Lewis, knows better than most the jeopardy involved in a young player’s early career. She runs a platform called NO1Fan.Club that provides a support network for parents navigating youth football and helps show alternative pathways in the industry for those who don’t quite make it.
Mertesacker said that “unconditional” support and a “really good foundation from home” has been vital to Lewis-Skelly’s rise. “It’s not always an upward curve, for anyone,” he added. “When it comes to the first team and the challenges that are there and the opportunities, it’s not easy.”
A New Era for Arsenal?
Alongside fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly has been an undoubted positive for Arsenal this season. The club is second in the Premier League and remains in contention in the Champions League.
But with Arteta facing scrutiny over his trophy record after an FA Cup exit to Manchester United and a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat against Newcastle, there are questions about whether Lewis-Skelly’s emergence can be the catalyst for a new era at the Emirates.
