"If the right opportunity came up" was the line that kept Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri in play this week. Richard Garlick did not rule out a sale of either player before the window closes, even while stressing that Arsenal are not actively looking to move them on.

Lewis-Skelly has been linked with a £45 million move to Manchester United and Chelsea, while Nwaneri was omitted from the matchday squad for the Community Shield win over Manchester City. Garlick also said Lewis-Skelly had "a fantastic end to last season" and had "started this season really well".

Garlick’s stance on the academy pair

The full quote is the important part. Garlick said Arsenal are "not actively looking at selling those homegrown players", but added that if the right opportunity came up, and it was right for the player and the club, they would consider it.

That is a wider summer stance as much as a Lewis-Skelly story. Garlick also said Arsenal believe in their academy and have been successful with the players who have come through it, with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri named as two of those examples.

Why the market remains open

The outside interest is real enough to keep this moving. Wayne Rooney said that if United can get a player who can play left-back and centre-midfield, it is "an absolute no-brainer", and called Lewis-Skelly young with "a massive future ahead of him".

Rooney’s point explains why the chatter will not go away, even if Arsenal are not pushing the teenager out. Lewis-Skelly’s Community Shield numbers also help show why they are willing to stay flexible, with one appearance, 75 minutes and one goal contribution, plus a 7.3 rating.

Arsenal’s own squad planning gives Garlick room to be selective. The club have spent almost £150m this window, and that leaves them able to treat any sale as a decision about fit, not a scramble to raise funds. The line to watch now is whether a club comes back with the kind of offer Arsenal are prepared to discuss before the window closes.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →