Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arsenal academy star lighting up Emirates
2025-01-16
Category: sports

"I feel like a million dollars. I had to put on a show for my grandma."Myles Lewis-Skelly's pure joy and huge, infectious smile after he won his first north London derby captured the feeling around the 18-year-old's breakthrough season for Arsenal.The Islington-born academy graduate was speaking to Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who was working as a TV pundit on the Gunners' vital 2-1 Premier League win against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.Lewis-Skelly had just received a standing ovation for his performance by the Emirates crowd after showing the character that has helped him excel through the club's youth ranks.He was involved in an tussle with Spurs' Lucas Bergvall as he was being substituted in the 87th minute - and the Arsenal youngster whipped up the crowd as he left the pitch to a big roar.Watching the footage back with Wright, the teenager was asked how he felt in that moment."Just happy. Just taking it in, soaking it in. Yes sir! This is amazing man," Lewis-Skelly said."My mum was here, my family, my friends. I had to put on a show for my grandma, make sure that I didn't look soft in front of her. I had to make sure I was winning my tackles for her and hopefully she was proud of me."It was everything that lived up to my dreams. I had to take in every moment. I was not afraid of anyone. I want to be the best and you've got to go up against the best."I feel pressure, but this is what we live for. I feel like a million dollars," Lewis-Skelly added.
Midfielder keeping out Â£100m worth of defenders
It has been quite the season for Lewis-Skelly, who has played more than was expected after impressing on the pre-season US tour with Mikel Arteta's first-team squad.Arsenal's campaign has lacked fluency, with red cards, injuries, modest runs of form and missed chances affecting their rhythm. They are second in the Premier League and remain in contention in the Champions League, but Arteta has faced scrutiny over his trophy record after an FA Cup exit to Manchester United and a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat against Newcastle in front of disgruntled home supporters.However, alongside fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly has been an undoubted positive, with 15 first-team games since his debut against Manchester City in September.He made his first start in the Champions League against Monaco in December and followed that with his first Premier League start against Everton two days later.On Wednesday, Lewis-Skelly became the second-youngest Arsenal player to start in a north London derby in the Premier League after Cesc Fabregas in 2004-05.It is even more impressive when you consider left-back is not even Lewis-Skelly's natural position.He came through the academy as a central midfielder but has gone from strength to strength in an inverted full-back role.Such is the faith shown in him by Arteta - a manager who statistics show does not often play Under-21 players - that he is keeping out summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, as well as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney, who have both been linked with moves away. Those three players cost Arsenal a combined Â£100m."He was phenomenal. He is a real personality. He has so much trust in himself. He has that attitude about him," Arteta said after the victory over Tottenham.Midfielder Declan Rice added: "The young boy was unbelievable. To be playing the way he is at just 18 is just ridiculous. No fear."
'A humble boy willing to learn' - Mertesacker
Arsenal do not have a prolific academy like Manchester City or Chelsea, who regularly produce elite youngsters who make the first team or are sold on for profit.Arteta also spoke recently about his frustration at not being able to replicate Barcelona's fabled La Masia academy in England because of post-Brexit restrictions on signing players under 18.But with Bukayo Saka, 23, Nwaneri, 17, and Lewis-Skelly, they are among the top-ranking clubs in the Premier League this season for minutes played by homegrown players.Former centre-back Per Mertesacker is Arsenal's academy manager and has known Lewis-Skelly since he was part of the Under-12 team, having first joined the Gunners aged nine."I don't think there's a particular moment where you see that he would have a good chance to make it to the first team," Mertesacker said."I knew Myles from when he was an Under-12 and going to youth tournaments with all the ups and downs. Sometimes you win and everyone is excited - and sometimes you lose and you start crying."It's just about understanding where everyone is on their journey."Lewis-Skelly has looked unfazed with every challenge put in front of him and Mertesacker says the England youth international has shown that characteristic throughout his career."With Myles, whatever challenges we put in front of him he seems to be really comfortable and ready."That's probably for me his main trait. If you can stay as cool as possible in those challenging moments then you have a good chance to get an opportunity."Lewis-Skelly only signed his first professional contract in October last year and Arsenal are delighted with the progress he has made this season."To train around the first team, he rose to that occasion," Mertesacker added. "He was ready to be 'coachable' and to stay humble."I would say that is what it is about him as a person that makes me always feel confident. If you have got that humility to value other people, but always look to improve."Lewis-Skelly's mum, Marcia Lewis, knows better than most the jeopardy involved in a young player's early career. She runs a platform called NO1Fan.Club, that provides a support network for parents navigating youth football and helps show alternative pathways in the industry for those who don't quite make it.Speaking to BBC Sport last September, Lewis said about her son: "He is not an Arsenal first-team player, he is an academy player, he has not 'made it'."He backs himself, we back him, but the realities are what they are... he is competing with multi-million pound players all over the world."Mertesacker said that "unconditional" support and a "really good foundation from home" has been vital to Lewis-Skelly's rise."It's not always an upward curve, for anyone. When it comes to the first team and the challenges that are there and the opportunities, it's not easy."