Manchester United have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, with circumstances potentially falling in their favour despite the 19-year-old breaking into the team. The Red Devils have a longstanding interest in the versatile Englishman.
Michael Carrick and INEOS are ramping up their transfer business after already bringing in midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, as well as goalkeeper Karl Darlow. Having beaten Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Stockholm on Saturday, focus has shifted back to the market.
Lewis-Skelly situation
United were originally linked with Lewis-Skelly last year when he slipped down the left-back hierarchy at Arsenal, with Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie receiving more game time. Mikel Arteta quickly resolved the issue by moving the 19-year-old into midfield, where he excelled.
However, according to The Times, Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes is due to undergo a Gunners medical on Monday. Should the Brazilian sign, he would become another established name for Lewis-Skelly to compete with for a starting berth, and his reported £80m price tag would take a considerable toll on the budget.
Financial fair play advantage
Any fee Arsenal recoup from offloading Lewis-Skelly would be pure profit under Financial Fair Play rules. That means if United table the right bid, it could prove impossible to resist. The Independent claim United are currently assessing whether the Gunners are willing to do business.
Zirkzee agrees loan move
On the departures front, reports from Italy indicate that Joshua Zirkzee has agreed to join Juventus on loan with no obligation to buy. The Dutch striker appears to have no place in Carrick's first-team thinking, and La Gazzetta dello Sport says he has already 'said yes' to the Italian club.
United signed Zirkzee for £36m in 2024, making him the first signing under INEOS ownership. He previously played in Italy with Bologna. Zirkzee has proved a challenging player to move on and, having failed to make his mark at United, is considerably more likely to depart on loan, either with or without a purchase option.
The transfer hinges on Juventus' ability to move on striker Jonathan David.
