Ian Wright Defends Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Martinelli Amid Transfer Speculation
Ian Wright has launched a fierce defence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Martinelli, accusing intermediaries of driving transfer noise around Arsenal’s squad and questioning the club’s current approach to business.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the former Arsenal striker pushed back hard against speculation over Lewis-Skelly’s future and the role of the teenager’s family in any talks.
“I don't know where that's coming from because I know for a fact that's not coming from his team,” Wright said. “It's not coming from his mum. Arsenal fans need to chill out with his mum saying that she's touting him about. Myles has already said he's happy to stay. Why have Arsenal not just said he's not for sale?”
United interest only adds fuel. Wright didn’t deny Lewis-Skelly would appeal to Manchester United – he went the other way.
“He'd be a great signing for Manchester United, of course he would. Look what he's doing.”
For Wright, that’s exactly why Arsenal’s silence jars. The former forward is less concerned with the rumours themselves and more with how they seem to emerge.
“There’s things happening and this again is what I'm worried about with Arsenal, it's the way we're doing business with intermediaries now,” he said. “How's that story happening when we know for a fact they're happy and want to stay?”
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel Martinelli
Martinelli’s situation was his next flashpoint. No formal approach, yet plenty of noise.
“[Gabriel] Martinelli has not been contacted by anybody at the club but has been touted about everywhere, who is doing that? Why is that happening?”
Wright then turned to what he sees as a contradiction in Arsenal’s transfer strategy. On one hand, the club are linked with some of the biggest names in world football. On the other, key assets are being discussed as potential sales.
“You know what's confusing? How can we be in for Vinicius Junior when we're looking to break records trying to sign this guy but now we're desperate to sell. What's going on?”
The size of the squad means departures are inevitable. Wright accepts that. What bothers him is the pattern and the pressure on homegrown players.
“We've got a big squad and somebody has to leave but it seems like everyone leaving Arsenal is going to Turkey, that's another thing.
The unfortunate thing you get when you've got a player who comes through the academy and breaks in to the first team and does what they do, you've always got that noose of pure profit on them.
He namechecked Ethan Nwaneri as another example of a young talent caught in the middle of financial realities and football development.
“It's the same with Ethan Nwaneri. I'm hearing now that they're not going to sell him they want to loan him which I'm quite pleased about because I don't think at any stage he's had a run to have a go at playing in that team.”
Lewis-Skelly, though, remains the centre of his concern. The midfielder’s form has attracted admiring glances, and Wright is under no illusions about who is watching.
“When you've got someone like Myles who is playing well, it's unbelievable what he's capable of doing then of course Manchester United will see if something can happen.
“They've seen Guimaraes come in they've seen Declan Rice. He doesn't want to leave and that's the thing that's really baffling me is why Arsenal don't just come in and say he's not for sale.”
For Wright, the message should be simple. Arsenal’s academy jewels are not just numbers on a balance sheet – and the club, he believes, need to say so loudly.
