Report: Arsenal could lose two of their most promising teenagers amid flurry of contract talks

By Lee Connor

Arsenal could end up losing both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Antony Lewis-Skelly, with other clubs keen on landing the Gunners teenagers.

A report from The Athletic this morning details how the Gunners are looking to tie down a number of players to new deals. The big names among those talks are the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabi Martinelli, and Aaron Ramsdale.

However, further down the ladder towards the academy, Arsenal want to give the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly the right contract as well. Both are 15 and 16 respectively, meaning their situations are slightly different than those in the first-team.

But worryingly for Arsenal fans, The Athletic mentions how there is interest from elsewhere when it comes to Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly. It’s claimed there is ‘competition’ for their signatures. Naturally, this will alarm those Arsenal fans who are keen to see the club continue to tie down its best talent.

Ethan Nwaneri getting a new contract will be of particular interest for Gunners fans. The 15-year-old was given his debut this season at Brentford. Already dubbed ‘really special’ by Granit Xhaka, Nwaneri is said to be impressing behind the scenes.

Should Arsenal lose Nwaneri to a Man City or Chelsea, for example, then Arsenal fans would have serious questions for the board.

TBR’s View: New contracts for Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have to be sorted

This is more akin to what happens with a Championship club or a team lower down the pecking order. But if it was to happen to a club the size of Arsenal and they lose two of their brightest home grown talents, then there’d be a lot to answer for.

Hopefully, for Gunners fans anyway, it doesn’t come to that. There is a lot to be done on current contracts and Edu is obviously a busy man. And while his efforts do need to be focussed on getting those first-team stars tied down, it’s vitally important the likes of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly remain as well.