Ian Wright fears Myles Lewis-Skelly's status as a homegrown player could influence Arsenal's openness to a shock sale in the closing weeks of the transfer window.
The Gunners are primed to continue their summer spending after agreeing a £51 million fee with Aston Villa for Ezri Konsa. With Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes already having added to a formidable squad, reports claim the Premier League champions are looking to make at least one significant sale.
As such, speculation surrounding the future of Lewis-Skelly has intensified in recent weeks amid claims that the Hale End Academy graduate has been offered to both Manchester United and Chelsea.
Wright questions the source of transfer rumours
The 19-year-old, parachuted back into the starting XI at the end of last season in his preferred midfield role, appears a key part of Mike Arteta's first team plans and justified his manager's decision to select him from the start in last Sunday's Community Shield win over Manchester City, producing another eye-catching display at the heart of his side's engine room.
Lewis-Skelly, himself, is happy at his boyhood club and is prepared to stay and fight for his place but the rumours persist, not helped by Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick refusing to rule out a sale should a suitable offer arrive.
Addressing where the conjecture might be emanating from, Wright told Stick to Football: 'I don't know where that's coming from because I know for a fact that's not coming from his team. It's not coming from his mum. Arsenal fans need to chill out with his mum saying that she's touting him about. Myles has already said he's happy to say. Why have Arsenal not just said he's not for sale?'
Concerns over Arsenal's business dealings
He added: 'There's things happening and this again is what I'm worried about with Arsenal, it's the way we're doing business with intermediaries now. How's that story happening when we know for a fact they're happening and want to stay and are happy. Martinelli has not been contacted by anybody at the club but has been touted about everywhere, who is doing that? Why is that happening?'
Addressing the narrative that Arsenal need to sell before they can buy again in order to balance the books, Wright added: 'You know what's confusing? How can we be in for Vinicius Junior when we're looking to break records trying to sign this guy but now we're desperate to sell. What's going on? We've got a big squad and somebody has to leave but it seems like everyone leaving Arsenal is going to Turkey, that's another thing.'
'The unfortunate thing you get when you've got a player who comes through the academy and breaks in to the first team and does what they do, you've always got that noose of pure profit on them. It's the same with Ethan Nwaneri. I'm hearing now that they're not going to sell him they want to loan him which I'm quite pleased about because I don't think at any stage he's had a run to have a go at playing in that team.'
Wright concluded: 'When you've got someone like Myles who is playing well, it's unbelievable what he's capable of doing then of course Manchester United will see if something can happen. They've seen Guimaraes come in they've seen Declan Rice. He doesn't want to leave and that's the thing that's really baffling me is why Arsenal don't just come in and say he's not for sale.'
