Myles Lewis-Skelly might have lastly solved Arsenal’s left-back subject following Ashley Cole’s controversial departure in 2006.
The academy graduate is having fun with a surprising breakthrough season on the Emirates Stadium, leading to him being tipped to earn a senior England call-up.
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Lewis-Skelly has featured in 19 video games in all competitions, and opened his account for the membership on Sunday in the course of the Gunners’ 5-1 thumping of Manchester Metropolis.
His dazzling show towards the Premier League champions noticed him likened to Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney.
However for ex-Tottenham striker Darren Bent – a diehard Gooner – it is fellow Hale Finish graduate Cole that Lewis-Skelly boasts related traits to.
Cole turned one of many world’s biggest left-backs having come up by the ranks at Highbury – profitable two league titles and three FA Cups earlier than becoming a member of rivals Chelsea.
It is a place that has plagued Arsenal since – particularly lately below Mikel Arteta’s tutelage.
In what has develop into a considerably cursed spot within the crew, Jurrien Timber, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu have all battled critical accidents.
It led Arsenal to splash out a possible £38million on Riccardo Calafiori final summer season to repair their drawback – just for the Italian to be struck by common setbacks.
His absence has paved the way in which for Lewis-Skelly to obtain sport time, with Arteta reworking him from a box-to-box midfielder to an attacking full-back.
Waxing lyrical over Lewis-Skelly’s efficiency towards Metropolis on talkSPORT Drive, Bent stated: “You’ll be able to fairly clearly see the belief in him after they give him the ball.
“However I assumed he defended rather well, he was robust, scored a terrific aim.”
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Interjecting, co-host Andy Goldstein then revealed that Bent informed him off-air that Lewis-Skelly is best on the ball than what Cole was, insisting his view is an ‘unbelievable assertion’.
To which Bent, doubling down on his view, remarked: “Yeah, I believe so.
“We each agree that Ashley Cole is among the finest left-backs in Premier League historical past.
“However his [Lewis-Skelley’s] contact, his little little bit of vanity that I like, robust in possession, can rating a aim.
“He seems comfy, he is acquired the belief of his teammates as effectively.
“Hale Finish, that place is famend for bringing by nice children, [Bukayo] Saka, [Jack] Wilshere, folks like that.
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“And these are the subsequent two, [Ethan] Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly.”
Bent’s view of Lewis-Skelly being higher on the ball than Cole is backed up by the teen’s unimaginable passing stats.
He has accomplished a whopping 248 profitable passes from his 260 makes an attempt – a staggering success price of 95.4 per cent.
It’s the highest determine of any Premier League participant this season who has featured in a minimum of 45 minutes.
One other standout side of Lewis-Skelly’s sport is his physicality, with no participant but to dribble previous him from his 553 minutes of top-flight motion.
Lewis-Skelly has additionally impressively received 74.2 per cent of his duels.
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That is one other Premier League excessive from gamers which have contested greater than 25.
And whereas he seems to ascertain the left-back spot at Arsenal as his personal, similar to Cole, he may quickly maintain down the position at England.
New Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel is thought to be an admirer of the teen, and will embody him in his first squad for March’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers towards Albania and Latvia.
Equally to Cole’s absence at Arsenal, the left-back spot has been a difficulty for England, with Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell unable to be relied upon as a result of harm.
Because it stands, Newcastle’s Lewis Corridor, Ipswich’s Leif Davis and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell are Lewis-Skelly’s primary rivals at worldwide degree.
However as proven for Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly solely must be given an opportunity to show should you’re adequate, you are sufficiently old.
