Rio Ferdinand has advised Manchester United and Chelsea to 'get the chequebook out' and sign 'huge talent' Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal. Premier League champions Arsenal have reportedly offered the 19-year-old England international to both clubs.
Lewis-Skelly's Season and Availability
Lewis-Skelly had a frustrating start to the 2025-26 campaign but broke into the team in the business end of the season, helping Arsenal win the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final. Despite his increased importance to Mikel Arteta, Arsenal are believed to be open to offers after signing Bruno Guimaraes in a £75m deal from Newcastle United.
Ferdinand's Verdict
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: 'If I'm Manchester United right now I say press the green button and buy him, take him, right now. What a player, a top player. He was a massive part of the team when he was brought in towards the end of the season. He contributed to Arsenal winning the league, he was brilliant and came in and produced.'
'If he's on the market and he's a good price you have to take him. The good price I'm saying is £60m or £70m. If that's the case, get the chequebook out, slap it down and sign him. No questions asked, I would take him. He's young, a huge talent, can play in two positions and I think mentally he's made of the right stuff.'
Ferdinand also addressed Manchester United's left-back situation: 'The left-back position at Manchester United is not a problem because we've got Luke Shaw who played a lot of games last season and stayed fit. But if he does get injured we haven't got a natural left-back sitting there. [Patrick] Dorgu is more of a left-winger now and [Noussair] Mazraoui and [Diogo] Dalot aren't full left-backs. So that's an area I think you can bring in someone like Myles Lewis-Skelly and he can play man, definitely.'
Career and Competition
Lewis-Skelly has made 75 appearances for Arsenal since his debut in 2024 and has earned six England caps, but was left out of Thomas Tuchel's squad for the recent World Cup. Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere believes Lewis-Skelly should consider his future at the Emirates Stadium given the competition in Arteta's squad.
'My heart would obviously say he is an Arsenal boy through and through, and you never want to see them leave the club,' Aliadiere told Metro via Spinbit. 'For me, it's a disappointment every time I see one of the academy boys having to leave. I'm gutted every single time because I've been there, but putting myself in Myles' position, he needs to leave if he wants to have game time.'
'I know he had an unbelievable end of season last year in the last five, 10 games with the Champions League final, but don't forget for three quarters of the season, he didn't touch a ball. He didn't get a minute. He didn't come on. He didn't play.'
Aliadiere continued: 'For a young lad of his ability and his age, at some point, you need to think about your own career and about playing week in, week out and being a regular at the top level. And now with the arrival of Guimaraes, where is he in the pecking order now? They have still got Zubimendi, so where is Myles going to get a minute and game time? So as much as I definitely don't want to see him going to Man United, I'm just thinking for his own career, he might have to move.'
