Arsenal Reluctant to Approve January Loan for Lewis‑Skelly After England Omission
England left out the 19-year-old for lack of minutes, putting renewed focus on how Arsenal intend to manage his playing time.
Overview
- Lewis‑Skelly has dropped behind Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie at left‑back, with four starts in all competitions and none in the Premier League this season.
- Thomas Tuchel cited insufficient club minutes in leaving him out of the senior squad, and The Athletic reported he told the player he would not be redirected to the U21s as he is regarded as a senior international.
- England U21 coach Lee Carsley did not call him, with reports noting he is monitoring alternatives such as Max Dowman.
- Journalist Sami Mokbel said Arsenal are unlikely to sanction a January loan, pointing to the need for defensive cover given Calafiori’s injury record and the roles of Hincapie and Gabriel.
- Just Arsenal reported Calafiori suffered an injury on international duty this week, a development that could further increase Arsenal’s reluctance to loan Lewis‑Skelly and leave his World Cup prospects dependent on club minutes.