Myles Lewis-Skelly

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Lewis-Skelly with Arsenal in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly [1]
Date of birth	(2006-09-26) 26 September 2006 (age 18)
Place of birth	Southwark, London, England [2]
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) [3]
Position(s)	Midfielder, left-back
Team information
Current team	Arsenal
Number	49
Youth career
2015–2024	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2024–	Arsenal	10	(1)
International career‡
2021–2022	England U16	5	(0)
2022–2023	England U17	21	(2)
2023–2024	England U18	4	(0)
2024–	England U19	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:30, 2 February 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:11, 10 December 2024 (UTC)

Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly (born 26 September 2006) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or left-back for Premier League club Arsenal.

Lewis-Skelly has spent his entire youth and professional career with Arsenal, making his first-team debut during the 2024–25 season.

Early Life

Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly was born on 26 September 2006, in the London Borough of Southwark. His parents are both British-born of mixed Caribbean descent. ^[4]

During his time at Arsenal's Academy, Hale End, Lewis-Skelly attended the Aldenham School in Hertfordshire, playing simultaneously for his school and academy team. ^[5]

Club career

Early career

Myles Lewis-Skelly joined the academy of Premier League side Arsenal as a child at the age of eight. ^[6] He progressed through the academy alongside friend and teammate Ethan Nwaneri, and the pair made their under-18 debut together in a 6–1 win over Reading, with both players scoring. ^[7]

Lewis-Skelly drew acclaim for his 'explosive inspirational' performances in Arsenal's 2022–23 FA Youth Cup campaign, in which they reached the final before being defeated by West Ham United. In the fifth-round game played on 6 February 2023, he starred in a defensive midfield role as Arsenal beat Watford 4–2, ^[8] before agreeing a scholarship deal with the club later in the same month, keeping him at Hale End for another two years, during which time he would become eligible for a professional contract. ^[9]

His performance in the quarter-final win against Cambridge United earned the praise of Jack Wilshere, with the coach stating the Lewis-Skelly was capable of "things you can't coach". ^[10] In the semi-final against Manchester City, he scored the winning goal in the final minute of extra time, as Arsenal went on to win 2–1. ^{[11] [7]}

Arsenal

On 5 October 2023, Arsenal announced that Myles Lewis-Skelly had signed his first professional contract with the club. ^[12] He made his senior debut for the club on 22 September 2024 in a 2–2 draw away at Manchester City, coming on for Jurriën Timber in second-half injury time. ^[13] In the same match, Lewis-Skelly received a yellow card before his debut. ^[14] On 25 January 2025, Lewis-Skelly was controversially shown a straight red card against Wolverhampton Wanderers after a foul on Matt Doherty was deemed a serious foul play. Arsenal went on to win the match 1–0 and his suspension was rescinded 3 days later. ^{[15] [16]}

On 2 February 2025, Lewis-Skelly scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 5–1 victory against Manchester City in the Premier League. ^{[17] [18]}

International career

Lewis-Skelly's parents are both British, and his grandparents are of mixed Caribbean heritage (Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and St Lucia). Lewis-Skelly is eligible to represent both England and Barbados at international level. During his youth career with Arsenal, he trained with the Barbados national football team. ^[8]

Having represented England at under-16 level, Lewis-Skelly was called up to the under-17 squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. ^[19] In England's second game of the tournament, Lewis-Skelly scored after seven minutes in an eventual 4–1 win over the Netherlands; having received the ball on the half-way line, he dribbled past three Dutch players before entering the penalty area and being tackled by Dies Janse. The ball came to English forward Leon Chiwome, whose heavy touch fell into the path of Lewis-Skelly, who slotted the ball under Dutch goalkeeper Kiyani Zeggen to make it 1–0. ^{[20] [21]}

On 6 September 2023, Lewis-Skelly made his England U-18 debut during a 2–0 defeat to France in Limoges. ^[22] A month later, on 2 November, he was included in the England squad for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup. ^[23]

On 7 September 2024, Lewis-Skelly made his England U19 debut during a 1–1 draw away to Croatia. ^[24]

Style of play

Predominantly a central midfielder, capable of playing in both attacking and defensive roles, Lewis-Skelly has also filled in at left-back for Arsenal's under-21 side. ^{[7] [25]} Football publication, Goal described him as "excellent with the ball at his feet", with "impressive technique", and "an engine needed to be able to get from box to box". ^[7] Lewis-Skelly has garnered stylistic comparisons to the likes of Arturo Vidal & Michael Essien, all-action midfielders capable of imposing themselves onto games. ^{[26] [27]}

Career statistics

As of match played 2 February 2025 ^[28]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Arsenal U21	2022–23	—			—		—		—		2 [a]	0	2	0
	2023–24	—			—		—		—		2 [a]	0	2	0
	Total		—		—		—		—		4	0	4	0
Arsenal	2024–25	Premier League	10	1	1	0	4	0	4 [b]	0	—		19	1
Career total			10	1	1	0	4	0	4	0	4	0	23	1

1. Appearances in EFL Trophy
2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Arsenal U21

• FA Youth Cup runner-up: 2022–23 ^[29]

References

1. Myles Lewis-Skelly at WorldFootball.net
2. Howell, Alex (16 January 2025). "'I feel a million dollars' - Lewis-Skelly lights up Arsenal". BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
3. "Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal U19 Midfielder, Profile & Stats". Premier League. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
4. "Myles Lewis-Skelly: Age, height, nationality, parents, contract and stats". OneFootball. 5 December 2025.
5. James, Josh (2 February 2025). "Lewis-Skelly: Studying for AS-Levels while passing first-team test". Arsenal.com.
7. Watts, Charles (25 April 2023). "Myles Lewis-Skelly: Arsenal's latest wonderkid midfielder who looks destined for the top". goal.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
8. Vurley, Callum (7 February 2023). "'Hale End taking over' – Myles Lewis-Skelly compilation emerges after Arsenal FA Youth Cup win and fans think they're set for the future". talksport.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
9. Ornstein, David (27 February 2023). "Ornstein: VAR chief retiring, Arsenal teenager to sign, Haaland expected to go with Nike" . theathletic.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
10. de Roché, Art (28 February 2023). "Jack Wilshere interview: Staying calm, making memories and praising Lewis-Skelly" . theathletic.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
11. de Roché, Art (5 April 2023). "Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly is deciding games and doing 'things you can't coach'" . theathletic.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
12. "Lewis-Skelly signs first professional contract". Arsenal F.C. 5 October 2023.
13. "'What a future awaits!' - Arsenal fans claim Myles Lewis-Skelly is 'anointed' as teenager picks up yellow card BEFORE making Premier League debut in bizarre incident vs Man City". Goal.com. 22 September 2024.
14. "Man City v Arsenal, 2024/25 | Premier League". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
15. James, Josh (25 January 2025). "Report: Wolves 0-1 Arsenal". Arsenal.com.
16. Media, Arsenal (28 January 2025). "FA statement on Myles Lewis-Skelly red card". Arsenal.com.
17. "Myles Lewis-Skelly mocks Erling Haaland with goal celebration as Arsenal thrash Man City". The Independent. 2 February 2025.
18. Smyth, Rob (2 February 2025). "Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, and Ethan Nwaneri, 17, scored as Arsenal humiliated the champions in the last half hour at the Emirates". The Guardian.
19. Collings, Simon (17 May 2023). "Arsenal starlets Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly named in England U17 squad for European Championships". standard.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
20. Rogers, Jonathon (22 May 2023). "Lewis-Skelly scores to help England U17s progress". arsenal.com. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
21. "Men's U17 Euros: Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly scores goal for England against Netherlands". bbc.co.uk. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
22. "Report: France 2-0 England MU18s". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
23. "England squad for the FIFA U-17 World Cup". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
24. Drury, Adam (7 September 2024). "Report: England MU19s 1-1 Croatia". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
25. Winter, Lewis (7 February 2023). "Arsenal already have a 'superior Granit Xhaka-regen' as fans rave over academy star". express.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
26. Canton, Tom (13 July 2023). "Myles Lewis-Skelly in profile as Arsenal young star ready for Nurnberg debut". Football.London. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
27. Roché, Art de. "Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly is deciding games and doing 'things you can't coach'". The Athletic. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
28. Myles Lewis-Skelly at Soccerway
29. "Hammers beat Arsenal 5–1 in the 2022–23 FA Youth Cup final at Emirates Stadium". The Football Association. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.