Former England, Hull City and Middlesbrough midfielder Ray Parlour believes the upcoming season could be crucial for Arsenal youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, with both players facing uncertain futures despite their potential.
Speaking exclusively to 10bet, Parlour admitted Arsenal may soon have difficult decisions to make as financial pressures and squad planning continue to shape transfer activity under Mikel Arteta.
Lewis-Skelly has had an inconsistent season in terms of opportunities, moving in and out of the first team. The youngster has also recently been linked with a possible move away, with Manchester United reportedly interested in the player.
Parlour, however, believes the teenager has shown enough to suggest he can play an important role at Arsenal in the future.
Lewis-Skelly could have a midfield future
The former Arsenal midfielder praised Lewis-Skelly’s recent displays and suggested Arteta may already be thinking about a positional change.
“In his last few games he’s been brilliant in midfield, so maybe Mikel [Arteta] looks at it for next season,” Parlour said.
He also pointed to Arteta rewarding players who perform well when given an opportunity.
“But that’s what I like about it – if you do well, that’s how it should be. That’s why all the players on the fringes of the first team need to know that once you get your opportunity, if you play well, you deserve to play the next game.”
Still, Parlour acknowledged the financial reality facing clubs.
“I don’t know what the budget’s going to be in the summer or what sort of money they need to buy other players,” he said.
“Behind the scenes they’ll be planning who they need to buy, and obviously you can’t just keep buying players – you have to sell players.”
He added: “I think he’s done really well over the last few games and maybe Mikel looks at him having a future in central midfield more than left-back.”
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Nwaneri loan struggles raise questions
Nwaneri’s loan spell at Marseille has not gone according to plan, with the youngster struggling to make a major impact after moving abroad during the second half of the season.
Parlour believes adapting to a different environment may have played a part.
“He’s gone to another country, which is difficult for a young lad – it’s a different sort of way of life, and Marseille, that’s a unique club,” he said.
“Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. This time around it hasn’t worked. Maybe he comes back, really works hard during that pre-season, and he’s part of the squad next year.”
Parlour also warned Arsenal may eventually have to weigh up financial considerations.
“With homegrown players coming through the ranks, there’s no sell-on clause, so you get all the money into the club.”
However, he believes the final decision will come down to both club and player, adding that Arsenal will hope Nwaneri returns determined to fight for his place.
