Arsenal would consider exits for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri if “the right opportunity” came up but are not actively seeking their departure, CEO Richard Garlick told BBC Sport.
At just 19, both Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri have made a significant number of appearances for Arsenal‘s first team. Although Nwaneri spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille, Lewis-Skelly started the Champions League final for the Gunners and played an essential role in the title run-in.
But they have both been linked with moves way this summer — with Chelsea and Manchester United, in particular, being linked with Lewis-Skelly.
As Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri are homegrown players, any potential departure would result in pure profit for Arsenal — which would help to balance the books in a year in which the Premier League has moved to the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules.
SCR replaces the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that were formerly in place. SCR state that clubs can spend 85% of their revenues on fees, wages and contracts. But clubs competing in Europe can only spend 70% of their revenues on fees, wages and contracts.
“There’s been a lot of speculation around players,” Garlick said.
“I can’t stop other clubs being interested. I think Myles has had a fantastic end to last season and has started this one really well — we’re very, very happy with him.
“Ethan has had a great pre-season as well and I think it’s just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those in terms of their career moving forward.
“We are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players but if the right opportunity came up — right for them and the club — we’d obviously consider that.”
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Lewis-Skelly started in Arsenal’s 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City last weekend but Nwaneri was not a part of the matchday squad.
However, with the arrival of Bruno Guimarães at the Emirates this summer then competition for a starting spot in midfield looks fierce and Lewis-Skelly may find that he is not a regular starter.
Head coach Mikel Arteta has also hinted at a departure for Nwaneri this summer:
“I want him to be at the club but something is in the medium-long term what is best for the player as well,” he said.
“Ethan needs to play football and if he stays here it’s because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes.”
Arsenal kick off their title defence against newly-promoted Coventry City on Friday, Aug. 22.
