Arsenal have made seven signings in this transfer window, who should drastically improve Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Viktor Gyokeres has arrived for £63 million as a marquee signing, bolstering the Gunners’ forward department, alongside the additions of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.
Meanwhile, Martin Zubimendi was acquired from Real Sociedad for £55 million to improve Arsenal’s midfield.
While these new players will add a lot to Arteta’s ensemble, some existing players could certainly be negatively impacted.
Adrian Clarke says Eberechi Eze signing is ‘bad news’ for Myles Lewis-Skelly
Arsenal completed the signing of Eze from Crystal Palace for £67.5 million last week.
The England international arrives with an impressive pedigree and to much fanfare, with Arteta viewing him as a potential option for the left wing.
That said, former Arsenal player Adrian Clarke believes the signing of Eze could be ‘bad news’ for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Speaking on the latest Arsecast episode, the pundit expressed concern about how Eze’s arrival could prompt Arteta to use a different style of left-back to the Hale End graduate.
“My only concern was like, ‘oh, we haven’t got an overlapping full-back really’. How’s that going to work? Well, Calafiori is kind of doing that, isn’t he?” he said.
“He’s doing his best impression of an overlapping full-back, or certainly a buccaneering one. And obviously we’ve been linked with Hincapie, but he’s kind of of that ilk as well. So it’s pretty bad news for Myles Lewis-Skelly that Eze will be on the left, you know, moving forwards.”
Myles Lewis-Skelly may finally move into midfield
Clarke’s point is certainly valid; Eze being deployed on the left wing requires a full-back who can overlap and remain wide throughout games.
This isn’t something Lewis-Skelly has done much of thus far in his short career, and isn’t really a role that is particularly well-suited to him.
However, there will still be games where Lewis-Skelly’s ability to invert is needed in Arteta’s team, particularly if Gabriel Martinelli or Madueke is used on the left.
That said, the arrival of Hincapie could prompt the Arsenal boss to finally move the 18-year-old into midfield, the position in which he’s grown up playing in.
An excellent ball carrier, Lewis-Skelly’s ability to win fouls, retain possession and evade pressure make him well-suited to being either a number six or a number eight, and he might finally be set to realise his potential in this position.
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