Arsenal are famous around the world for producing future first-team stars and Myles Lewis-Skelly may soon be the next prospect to come off the Hale End production line.

It can be hard to believe at times that Lewis-Skelly is only 16 years old as the youngster plays with such confidence. He is also already on Mikel Arteta’s radar and featured for Arsenal this summer during pre-season. While Jack Wilshere adores what he shows in his Under-18 side.

Arteta used the Gunners’ schedule to run the rule over Lewis-Skelly after he enjoyed an eye-catching junior campaign in 2022/23. The Spaniard introduced the midfielder as a substitute against Nurnberg and another appearance could follow against Monaco in the Emirates Cup.

Lewis-Skelly was unfortunate to miss out on a place in Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA. The club-record arrival of Declan Rice took a possible place in Arteta’s squad away from the teen talent. But the 23/24 season should return further chances to pique Arteta’s attention.

So, who is Lewis-Skelly and just how good is the Arsenal academy prospect? Arsenal Insider takes a look at everything you need to know about the rising star with a bright future ahead.

Who is Myles Lewis-Skelly?

Myles Lewis-Skelly is a player in Arsenal’s academy and joined their famed Hale End set-up aged nine. He is so far yet to play with any other team in the midfielder’s fledgling career. The Gunners signed Lewis-Skelly to youth terms and have brought him through their ranks.

READ MORE: Everything we know about Arsenal’s 2023 pre-season tour

Arsenal rewarded Lewis-Skelly with a new contract in line with his performances with their U18s and U21s in July 2023. He agreed to sign a fresh scholarship deal keeping him at Hale End through to June 2025. The Gunners are yet to offer their youngster a professional deal.

Lewis-Skelly first joined the ranks at Hale End as part of Arsenal’s pre-academy youth side. His U18 debut would come in May 2021 and his U23s bow later arrived in October 2022. He made the move up to the club’s reserves whilst on schoolboy terms after his 16th birthday.

When was Myles Lewis-Skelly born?

Arsenal gem Myles Lewis-Skelly was born on September 26, 2006. He holds dual citizenship between England and Barbados, as well. The prospect can represent either country as he is of Barbadian descent. He has even trained with the senior Barbados national football team.

England have also capped Lewis-Skelly at the Under-16 and U17 levels. Tom Curtis awarded the teenager his international breakthrough against Italy while in charge of the Young Lions’ U16s in November 2021. Curtis also gave Lewis-Skelly his Under-17 debut in February 2022.

Lewis-Skelly rarely started as he established a role with England’s U16s but captained them in his last of five appearances. He has since been an integral player in their U17 unit and was among the stars of their run to the U17 European Championship quarter-finals in May 2023.

Under head coach Ryan Garry, he offered one goal and one assist across four appearances. The competition took Lewis-Skelly’s career England U17 haul to two goals and two assists in 17 appearances. His previous goal involvements came in a qualifier against Georgia in 2022.

What position does Myles Lewis-Skelly play?

Myles Lewis-Skelly has spent most of his youth career playing as a midfielder with Arsenal and England. He usually operates from either a central or defensive role but has featured out wide on the right. While sporadic outings at left-back or at centre-half also litter his record.

READ MORE: All Arsenal confirmed signings and transfers out in 2023/24

Arsenal U18 boss Jack Wilshere sought to further Lewis-Skelly’s development in the 22/23 season by giving him appearances in various positions. The former Gunners product and cult hero believed that offering the youngster a changeable role was important to see him grow.

“I think it’s important for him,” Wilshere noted, via The Arsenal Way, in April 2023. “You look at our first-team and the way football is going with the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, the full-back has to play inside. I think Myles developing as a left-back will give him experience.”

How good is Myles Lewis-Skelly?

As well as wanting to help Myles Lewis-Skelly develop, Jack Wilshere added after his Arsenal U18 side beat Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup that the midfielder was ‘unplayable’. The youngster leapt to head home the winning goal in the 121st minute of their semi-final clash.

“I don’t think he’s going to be a left-back, by the way, he’ll be a midfielder,” Wilshere added.

“Him and Ethan [Nwaneri], what they do at 16 – let’s remember, Ethan and Myles are a little bit younger – how they’re able to dominate and manage moments in a game and drive a team is impressive.”

Wilshere continued: “You see certain moments that are not coachable. There’s some things that certain players can’t do that only certain others can. But there’s so much more than that, like how he lives. He’s a top kid, by the way, but he has to manage that going forward.”

Lewis-Skelly’s goal against Manchester City followed three assists in the early rounds of the 2022/23 FA Youth Cup. His football IQ is far beyond his years to allow the teenager to dictate games with superb spatial awareness. He is also strong on the ball despite only being 5 ft 8.

First-team manager Mikel Arteta also took Lewis-Skelly to Dubai for Arsenal’s winter training camp in 2023. His comfort in possession with an ability to carry the ball and play a variety of roles can be unbelievable for a player of his age. Lewis-Skelly plays some beautiful passes.

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s stats at Arsenal

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s stats as an Arsenal player to date read without a competitive first-team appearance having yet made his debut. But he has shown true potential at the youth level.

Under-18, Arsenal: 14 appearances, 3 goals, 4 assists

Under-21, Arsenal: 9 appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists

First-team, Arsenal: 0 appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists

The post Meet Arsenal’s ‘unplayable’ 16-year-old Wilshere adores and is on Arteta’s radar appeared first on Arsenal Insider.