Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly is not set to change his Arsenal squad number for the 2025/26 campaign.
It’s been a season to remember for Lewis-Skelly, who has enjoyed a rapid rise from a jewel in Arsenal’s academy to a firm starter in Mikel Arteta’s XI.
Aside from his triumphs at club level, Lewis-Skelly collected his first caps for England, scoring on his debut on an emotional night at Wembley Stadium.
While it’s been all systems go for the 18-year-old at Arsenal, the teenager has decided that despite his rise, one part of his debut campaign will not be altered.
Why Myles Lewis-Skelly’s kit number will not change
As the Gunners look to 2025/26 with the launch of the new Arsenal home kit, decisions are being made regarding squad numbers.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the home kit, journalist Charles Watts revealed two changes to the first team.
David Raya is set to take the number one shirt, leaving Ethan Nwaneri in line to be allocated the Spaniard’s 22 shirt that the shot-stopper has worn since his arrival in 2023.
With fellow Hale End graduate Nwaneri set to switch to a lower squad number to represent his rise, Lewis-Skelly has opted out of a change.
Watts explained the reason why the 18-year-old will continue to wear the number 49, and Arsenal fans will love it.
The Gunners expert shared that Lewis-Skelly is ‘well aware’ of what the number 49 represents in Arsenal’s history, being a nod to Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles squad.
Knowing that his boyhood club went 49 games unbeaten, before he was even born, the teen decided not to give the number up, which will be a delight to supporters for more reasons than one.
No changes to Lewis-Skelly’s song
Gary Neville thinks Lewis-Skelly deserves the PFA Young Player of the Year award on the back of a remarkable debut campaign for club and country.
The versatile left-back has shown that he can do it all throughout the 2024/25 calendar, earning high praise from his peers, pundits, and supporters.
Arsenal fans have a chant for Lewis-Skelly, which is a spin-off of the ‘49 undefeated’ song, a tribute to the Invincibles.
Now that his squad number isn’t set to change, supporters will be delighted to know that the terrace song will not need to be altered.
As a young star with such admiration for Arsenal’s history, Lewis-Skelly is a rare asset that Arteta has the privilege of working with, with so much more to come for the teen.
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