Arteta’s change in stance set to harm United’s hopes of landing English wonderkid loved by INEOS – report

Despite all the hullabaloo surrounding Manchester United’s need to reinforce their midfield, they simply cannot afford to neglect strengthening their defence either. While most pundits and fans would point to the left side of the defence as an obvious area in need of quality, left-back is arguably a more important position to address. Luke Shaw, who is on the cusp of a personal milestone, cannot be relied upon to remain fit for the entirety of next season, given his poor injury record. His deputy, Tyrell Malacia, is expected to depart once his contract runs out in the summer, while Patrick Dorgu is likely to play in a more advanced role moving forward. Myles Lewis-Skelly was open to jumping ship This is why INEOS need to find Shaw‘s long-term successor, and Arsenal wonderkid Myles Lewis-Skelly has been linked with a sensational switch to Old Trafford. The Hale End graduate can double up as a defensive midfielder, a profile United are already looking for. INEOS could have killed two birds with one stone. Given United’s luck with signing Arsenal stars, it would have been remiss of them not to try. The Englishman had barely started games this term, which is why he was also open to the idea of leaving the Emirates. Arteta has changed his tune over Myles Lewis-Skelly However, Mikel Arteta has increasingly turned to the 19-year-old during the crunch moments of the season, including starting the semifinal second leg against Atletico Madrid and three of the last five Premier League games. The last I heard is that Arsenal are confident in keeping him and Arteta wants to keep him. — Sully (@sullyexcl) May 11, 2026 According to trustworthy social media account Sully, the Gunners are confident of keeping the England U21 international, with Arteta pushing for him to stay. “The last I heard is that Arsenal are confident in keeping him and Arteta wants to keep him,” Sully wrote on X (formerly Twitter) when asked about United’s chances of landing the London-born ace in the summer. The 20-time English league champions also have Lewis Hall on their radar, but whether Newcastle let him leave remains to be seen. The hunt for a left-back might not be as straightforward as fans would have hoped. Feature image Clive Mason via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25