Myles Lewis-Skelly is only 16 years old but is already considered one of Arsenal’s brightest young talents, with the potential to become a star in the future. Under the guidance of Arsenal U18s boss Jack Wilshere, Lewis-Skelly has been developing his game and improving his skills.
Lewis-Skelly is a central midfielder by trade and has been excellent in that position, but he has also been used at left-back by U21s boss Mehmet Ali earlier this year. Despite some initial surprise from fans, Ali praised Lewis-Skelly’s tactical flexibility and adaptability, traits that are highly valued in modern football.
Mehmet Ali said at the time: “A good footballer can play anywhere on the pitch. You look at some of our first-team players like Bukayo Saka; they don’t always break through playing as a right winger, it might be as a left-back or a centre-forward playing off the sides. They have to be tactically flexible, technically excellent and adaptable to play for Mikel.”
Wilshere has also weighed in on Lewis-Skelly’s position, saying that he believes the youngster will ultimately be a midfielder. However, he pointed to the example of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who started out as a left-back but has played in numerous areas of the pitch for Arsenal, as an example of the kind of versatility that young players should strive for.
Wilshere speaking with The Athletic said, “I don’t think he’ll be a left-back; he’ll be a midfielder. But if we give him a little bit of everything, it will help…You look at our first team and the way football’s going with players like Oleksandr Zinchenko, the full-back has to be able to play inside.”
Zinchenko has indeed been an integral part of Arsenal’s success this season, playing in various positions despite starting out as a left-back. His ability to adapt to different roles has made Arsenal a much more dangerous side, and Wilshere believes that young players like Lewis-Skelly should aim to develop similar versatility.
While Zinchenko is still only 26 and has many years of football ahead of him, it is never a bad idea for a club to develop young talent that can eventually take over from established stars. Lewis-Skelly has already shown that he has the potential to be a great player, and with the right guidance and training, he could well become Arsenal’s next Zinchenko in the coming years.
WATCH: Myles Lewis-Skelly – Remember the name
This kid has magic in his feet
— GoonerViews (@GoonerViews) April 4, 2023
