Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to a 1-1 friendly draw with Como 1907 on Wednesday, which the Gunners won 4-3 on penalties -Credit:Charles McQuillan, Getty Images Mikel Arteta has declined to rule out offloading Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly, stating that he embraces 'speculation' surrounding his players. Lewis-Skelly's future has emerged as a heated topic after he was offered to Manchester United, as Arsenal seek to recoup some of the £75 million ($101.1 million) that they invested in new signing Bruno Guimarães. Guimarães' arrival is poised to restrict playing time in midfield for Lewis-Skelly, who United rejected in favor of other targets. That hasn't silenced discussion of a departure, although the 19-year-old made his position clear on Wednesday during a preseason friendly. Lewis-Skelly found the net in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Como 1907 at the Emirates and celebrated by making a heart sign to the crowd before tapping the badge. After full-time, Arteta was questioned about Lewis-Skelly's passionate celebration and chose not to end speculation about a transfer away.
Kylian Mbappe drops World Cup truth bomb after absurd third-place loss to England Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments -Credit:Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images "It's good to be emotional after scoring, you should be emotional when you score a goal," the Arsenal boss said, via The Mirror. "He's a very emotional player, you see with his gestures on the pitch. "I'm not going to talk about speculation. If there is speculation about our players, it's a good sign. That means our players attract attention and are doing a good job." Chelsea have also been linked with Lewis-Skelly, who put pen to paper on a new five-year deal with Arsenal last summer. This comes after the Gunners academy graduate started just five Premier League matches last season, with the arrival of Piero Hincapié intensifying competition for the left-back position that Lewis-Skelly had firmly established as his own earlier in 2025. He was deployed in midfield toward the end of the campaign, and Arteta has been encouraged by his displays over the summer after operating in a new role. "He's had a really good preseason," the Gunners manager noted. To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE "We asked him to play in a different position because he played more as a No. 6 - we obviously lacked midfielders from international duty - and I think he had a really consistent preseason." Meanwhile, Arteta confirmed that Arsenal aren't done in the transfer market, which could accelerate the club's push to move on players such as Lewis-Skelly. "There is more that we want to do, because every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth, we need to do that," he explained. "We're actively trying to do so. The thing is in the market, it doesn't just depend on you, and we're very clear on that. "The will and the desire of the club is unquestionable, but we cannot promise that we're going to do it because it doesn't only depend on us."