Real Madrid Eyeing Another Interesting PL player

Real Madrid’s fascination with English talent is no secret. From Jude Bellingham’s heroics at the Bernabéu to the imminent arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Los Blancos are building a new identity shaped by youth, tactical flexibility, and raw Premier League quality. Now, the next name in their sights is Arsenal’s teenage sensation Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The 18-year-old has had a breakout season under Mikel Arteta, featuring in 39 games and scoring once, while assisting three times in various roles across the pitch. More significantly, Lewis-Skelly’s contract is entering its final year, and Real Madrid is monitoring the situation closely, hoping to repeat their Bellingham-style coup.

A Tactical Fit for Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid

According to The Guardian, talks between the Gunners and Lewis-Skelly over an extension are “not going well.” For a player who’s been at Arsenal since nine, that’s a seismic development. And it’s no surprise that Madrid are sniffing around, eager to bring another Premier League starlet to La Liga, potentially for a bargain.

Lewis-Skelly appeals to Real Madrid because of his youth, maturity, and versatility. It’s how well he fits into Xabi Alonso’s tactical blueprint. Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their historic Bundesliga title without a loss, relied heavily on attacking wing-backs. Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong were instrumental in that system, hugging the touchlines, inverting into midfield, and maintaining high technical levels in possession.

Now, imagine a Real Madrid version of that system with Lewis-Skelly on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right. At Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly broke into the first team as a left-back but often operated in an inverted role, drifting into central areas to support the midfield. This is precisely what Alonso demands from his full-backs. Lewis-Skelly has the intelligence and physicality to thrive in such a role.

“He is very intelligent, very willing, and very physical. If you have those three ingredients and you have a personality that can go through blips — it can happen — that is Myles. That is what he has done. He can do a six and an 8. It will depend largely on the relationships and chemistry with other players, as well as how this evolves within the team. And football, in which direction it goes, and what demands certain positions have. He is certainly a player who can play in lots of positions.” Mikel Arteta said.

Pairing Lewis-Skelly with Trent, another inverted full-back with a sublime passing range, could give Madrid positional superiority on both flanks, echoing the dynamic that made Alonso’s Leverkusen nearly unstoppable. With Jude Bellingham controlling the half-spaces and Camavinga or Tchouaméni anchoring midfield, the foundation is already set for this fluid setup to thrive.

From Hale End to the World Stage

Lewis-Skelly’s journey began at Arsenal’s famed Hale End Academy, where he was long tipped as a future star. While his youth career saw him operate mainly as a central midfielder, his transition into senior football has seen him reinvented as a left-back, with the positional awareness and calmness of a seasoned professional.

This adaptability hasn’t gone unnoticed on the international stage either. Thomas Tuchel, now in charge of the England national team, handed Lewis-Skelly his senior debut during the recent World Cup qualifiers in March. The teenager started both matches against Albania and Latvia at full-back and even got on the scoresheet in the former.

“The second half, he played as a No.8 because we wanted to take more risks and have a little bit closer connection between the players. In the first half, we played in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with four players up front. He played more conventionally and scored more from there. In the second half, he played as a No. 8 or No. 10. I think his very best position is where he plays for Arsenal in the left double six, the inverted double six role. He’s a fantastic footballer.” Tuchel explained.

“If you see him in possession games in training, the level of first touch, the quality of first touch, the quality of body movement, how he opens up his body, how he plays the passes, he has a very high understanding of the game, it comes very natural to him. He’s very versatile, and I think he can do a lot of things.”

“We tried to play more conventionally today because it’s easier to learn, we have many players from many different clubs, he did very well because he can adapt, because he understands very quickly.” Tuchel continued. At 18 years and 176 days, Lewis-Skelly became the youngest player to score on his England debut, adding another milestone to a rapidly growing résumé. 

What’s Next for Arsenal and Real Madrid?

Losing a homegrown talent like Lewis-Skelly would be a blow to Arsenal, especially as they continue talks with Ethan Nwaneri, another academy graduate whose future remains uncertain. For Mikel Arteta, retaining these young stars is crucial to building a sustainable future. However, Real Madrid senses an opportunity. Just like they secured Bellingham and are now integrating Trent Alexander-Arnold, they believe Lewis-Skelly could be the next English diamond in their crown. With only one year left on his contract and no progress on a renewal, this story is far from over.