‘At the End’—Mikel Arteta Fires Brutal Transfer Warning to $130 Million Arsenal Duo

The Gunners could cash in on two of their top young talents this summer.

Mikel Arteta has one goal in mind. | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Mikel Arteta has warned Arsenal youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly that they can expect no special treatment purely because of their status as academy graduates.

The duo are among the most highly rated youngsters in England, but limited opportunities in an Arsenal side chasing Premier League glory prompted reports that the club could look to raise around $130 million (£100 million) through their sales this summer.

News of the potential sale of two top youngsters from the club’s academy was met with mixed responses by fans. While some understood the need to make sacrifices en route to success, others wanted to see Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly protected due to their status as homegrown talents.

Asked about the pair’s futures at the Emirates, Arteta confessed tough decisions may have to be made as Arsenal continue to strive to be the very best in the sport.

“It’s part of us,” Arteta said of the academy. “At the end what has to define this football club is to seek for excellence and seek for the best, regardless if you’re coming from the academy or abroad.

“If we can have players from Hale End, much better because the identity is there. We grow with them and they know exactly what we’re looking for.

“But at the end they have to earn it. Not for a week, not for a month, for years. Like anybody else, it doesn’t matter what department or role you have in the club.

“You have to sustain performance and that has to be at the very highest level if we want to win and be where we want to be.”

---

Warning Rings Loudest for Lewis-Skelly

Myles Lewis-Skelly lost his role as a starter. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

After struggling for minutes during the first half of the season, Nwaneri was sent out on loan to Marseille to try and avoid stunting his development on the sidelines. The teenager has racked up two goals and an assist in his first eight Ligue 1 games.

Lewis-Skelly, however, was kept around as emergency cover—a huge drop in standing considering he was the starting left back last season before being demoted behind Riccardo Calafiori and summer signing Piero Hinapié.

The 19-year-old, a natural midfielder by trade, looked to have established himself as Arsenal’s starter for the next decade but, in Arteta’s relentless push for the Premier League title, evidently failed to convince the boss of his credentials.

Arteta clearly still has an element of trust in Lewis-Skelly. Heading into Saturday’s meeting with Bournemouth, the youngster had played in 28 games across all competitions, but his start against the Cherries was just his second in the Premier League this season. Indeed, it was only the second time he had played in the league in 2026.

While Nwaneri may hope to get the chance to prove his credentials upon his return from Marseille, Arteta’s final verdict on Lewis-Skelly already appears to have been delivered. Saturday’s start may well begin his last chance to prove himself before the summer transfer window.

Should he look to leave, Lewis-Skelly will have no shortage of offers from elite clubs. Manchester United are known admirers but many more would surely join the queue if Lewis-Skelly genuinely hits the market.

---