Nacho Monreal sings the praise of ‘special’ Arsenal youngster

Nacho Monreal has expressed his admiration for Myles Lewis-Skelly and believes the left-back has the potential to become an important player for Arsenal once again. At present, Lewis-Skelly finds himself behind Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order at the Emirates and has struggled to secure regular game time. Despite this, Monreal has publicly backed the defender, highlighting his technical ability and unique style of play.

Arsenal have performed well with Calafiori as their starting left-back, and there has been little reason for the club to make changes in that position. The Gunners also wish to retain Lewis-Skelly despite the option to send him out on loan, recognising that the youngster could play a significant role in the squad’s long-term plans. The defender himself is motivated to earn a place in England’s World Cup squad, and to achieve this, he needs more regular minutes on the pitch at the Emirates.

Competition for Game Time

Mikel Arteta is aware of the situation and is looking to assist Lewis-Skelly in earning opportunities, but the left-back must compete directly with Calafiori to gain playing time. This battle has been ongoing for some time, with both players offering different qualities to the team. Monreal believes that Lewis-Skelly’s technical skill and ability to influence games from the middle make him a unique asset for Arsenal. Speaking via Goal, Monreal commented on the young defender’s qualities and potential impact.

He said, “I really like Lewis-Skelly. I think he’s one of the best left-backs. When he plays, when I see him, he’s something special. Of course, he’s not playing because Calafiori is playing so well.

“This is nothing against Calafiori, but Lewis-Skelly is different. When you see him play, you will see him most of the time in the middle of the game. He’s not a typical left-back. If I compare myself with Lewis-Skelly, I was more in the left side, go to the side, but he comes often into the middle. He’s really good technically, how he receives the ball, how he turns, how he’s always playing forward.”