Arsenal column: Myles Lewis-Skelly contract, when Bukayo Saka could return, Jorrel Hato links & more | OneFootball

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s England success was a joy to watch – new Arsenal contract next!

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember cheering an England goal scored outside of a major tournament as much as I did when Myles Lewis-Skelly scored against Albania the other other day.

What a moment that was for him. Just another to add to the long list he has enjoyed throughout what has been a remarkable season of firsts for Arsenal’s prodigious teenager.

It was just really special to see him tuck away that finish and then run off to celebrate in front of the fans. You could see in his face what it meant to him.

And it was particularly pleasing given all the rubbish that had been posted about him on social media leading up to the game, with much of it coming from supposed England ‘fans’ who seemed to take exception to the fact he was pictured smiling as he walked into St George’s Park to link up with the senior squad for the first time.

I mean, how dare he smile?? Clearly, that warranted all the abuse that followed in the comments under the picture that was posted by England’s official X account…..

The reaction was just so ridiculous and it was really sad to see, but the good thing is Lewis-Skelly is such a level headed young man with such a strong support network around him that I knew it wouldn’t bother him.

And given the way he played against Albania and also against Latvia he just brushed it all aside with ease.

He’s now the youngest ever player to score on his senior England debut. What a perfect way to shut up all the social media idiots out there.

As I said, Lewis-Skelly is known as such a level headed person. Anyone you talk to at Arsenal will tell you that.

Myles Lewis-Skelly in action for England (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

His family have played and continue to play a huge role in how he is managed off the pitch and that has all contributed to the sensible head he has on his shoulders.

Arsenal are very proud of him and how he has developed, although I’m sure almost everyone will still be quite surprised with how comfortably he has dealt with everything that has been thrown at him this season.

He still obviously has lots to learn and there will be plenty of bumps in the road, but we’ve seen this season that he can hold his own at any level, whether that be the Premier League, Champions League or on the international stage.

His rise has been rapid and he will inevitably have to be rewarded with a new contract. It’s something Arsenal are very aware of.

Contract talks will progress with several players over the next few months and Lewis-Skelly is one of them. The hope is both he and Ethan Nwaneri will sign new long-term deals relatively soon as a reward for the progress they have shown this season.

I can’t really see there being any problem when it comes to getting those deals done.

Both are loving life at Arsenal right now and Arsenal are obviously delighted with both of their Hale End products. It should be a matter of when, rather than if, the deals are signed.

Bukayo Saka could be in line for return against Fulham

There is growing hope at Arsenal that Bukayo Saka will be involved when they return to action against Fulham next Tuesday night.

The winger has been absent since tearing his hamstring in the win at Crystal Palace on December 21 and has been missed massively.

It’s been a long wait for Arsenal fans to see Saka back in action, but that wait is now coming to an end – with the England international tantalising close to a return.

He has been stepping up his work with the ball during the international break and the hope is he will be deemed fit enough to be named in the squad for next week’s meeting with Fulham.

Arsenal will be very cautious with Saka and the decision as to whether he will be involved on Tuesday night will be a late one, but there is a growing belief he could be included if things go well at the training ground between now and then.

Saka is desperate to return with the Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid looming large on the horizon and it would be a huge boost for him and for the club if he were to get some minutes under his belt in the games against Fulham and Everton before the first leg in North London on April 8.

My understanding regarding fresh Jorrel Hato to Arsenal links…

Arsenal’s links with Jorrel Hato have been ongoing for some time now, he is a player they have looked at quite intensively.

At one point it looked like a deal that could happen, but I’m not so sure now. I don’t really see another left-sided defender being a priority this summer.

I know that Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko could potentially leave, but Riccardo Calafiori will still be there and I think the club will feel they have enough cover, even with Calafiori’s injury struggles.

The one thing that could change things obviously is if Gabriel Magalhaes was to go.

Arsenal don’t want to lose Gabriel and are keen to extend his stay with the club, but we know there has been strong interest from Saudi Arabia in the Brazilian in the past and there has been talk of that interest being revisited once the window opens at the end of the season.

Who knows what will happen if a huge offer does come in for Gabriel, but if he were to end up leaving then he would obviously need to be replaced and you would think that Hato would certainly be on Arsenal’s list.

But that’s all purely hypothetical at this stage. For now, it still feels unlikely to me.

Liverpool fans need to lay off Trent Alexander-Arnold after Real Madrid transfer decision

It’s been interesting to see the reaction to the news that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid now appears certain.

There has been lots of backlash from Liverpool fans, certainly on social media anyway, but I’m not sure you will see or hear quite as much of it from the match going Liverpool fans.

I think deep down they will understand Trent’s decision, even if it will hurt them to see him go, especially on a free.

He has given so much service to that club and he has won the lot with them. He came through the ranks, so didn’t cost them anything in terms of a transfer fee and justified all the wages they paid him with his performances throughout his time at Anfield.

So why begrudge him a move to Madrid now? He’s achieved everything he ever dreamed of at Liverpool and now he wants to try something new – and at the biggest club in the world. You just don’t get that opportunity every day.

I know some Liverpool fans are annoyed that they are not getting any money from Real which would allow the club to reinvest in his replacement, but that’s just the way of the world now.

Had he signed a new contract he might have never been able to sign for Madrid. As I said, the opportunity for a move like this just doesn’t come around every day.

It’s obviously a bit of a warning for Arsenal as well, with Madrid sniffing around William Saliba as he prepares to enter the final two years of his contract.

We know they like to tell their targets to let their current deals run down so they can get them on a free and Arsenal have to be mindful of that when it comes to Saliba.

But for now that is some way off and for Liverpool they are going to have to move on without Alexander-Arnold.

It will have an impact on them. Just a look at the creative numbers they will be missing next season without him in the side shows that he will leave behind a big void that will need filling.

Jeremie Frimpong has been mentioned as a possible replacement and that does, on paper anyway, look like a good fit. He’s shown during his time with Bayer Leverkusen what a threat he is down the right hand side.

So as disappointing as it will be for Liverpool to see Alexander-Arnold go, things always move on and they will no doubt strengthen wisely. They also already have Conner Bradley, don’t forget, who has shown what a talent he can be.