Paul Scholes Critiques Arsenal's Transfer Strategy
Paul Scholes has delivered a stinging verdict on Arsenal’s transfer thinking, insisting the club is preparing to jettison the wrong midfielder this summer.
With 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly surprisingly linked with moves to Premier League rivals, the Manchester United great made it clear on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, that his patience has run out with one of Mikel Arteta’s big-name additions.
“I prefer Lewis-Skelly in centre midfield to Zubimendi,” Scholes said. “I think Zubimendi struggled last year. If there’s one player you are going to get rid of, it would be him.”
That line cut straight to the heart of a debate that refuses to go away at Arsenal: protect the academy jewel, or back the expensive import.
Scholes: Selling homegrown stars “hurts the culture”
Scholes didn’t just frame it as a footballing decision. For him, it’s about identity.
He argued that losing a homegrown player like Lewis-Skelly would damage the culture Arteta has worked to build, and he reached back into his own career at Old Trafford to make the point. The former midfielder recalled how much he loathed seeing academy products forced out to clear space for signings who, in his view, did not necessarily offer a higher ceiling.
He drew a direct comparison with Manchester United’s decision to sell Danny Welbeck to North London.
“It reminds me a little bit of when Danny Welbeck left Manchester United. I hated it, didn’t like it. Now, Danny was a little bit older than Myles Lewis-Skelly, but when you’re losing your own players, it’s disappointing.”
The message was unmistakable: Arsenal risk repeating a mistake their old rivals still regret.
Carragher baffled by Arsenal’s stance
If Scholes spoke with emotion, Jamie Carragher added disbelief.
The Liverpool legend admitted he was stunned by reports that Arsenal had offered Lewis-Skelly to domestic rivals. This week, it emerged that the Gunners had potentially put the teenager’s name to both Chelsea and Manchester United, a move Carragher struggles to process given the youngster’s previous performances on the European stage.
“Do you think it’s from his side or the club’s side? That’s the thing that was a little bit strange about it,” Carragher said. “It felt almost like Arsenal offered Manchester United Myles Lewis-Skelly. It wasn’t Myles Lewis-Skelly saying I want to leave or his people putting something out. That’s where the shock came from. I still can’t believe it.”
The confusion only grew as Carragher doubled down on his admiration for the midfielder’s talent.
“You can’t play at that level unless you’re pretty special at that age. All young players have ups and downs. Last season he didn’t play as much as he probably would have liked.”
In other words, dips in minutes are normal; dangling a prodigy in front of rivals is not.
Arteta keeps his cards close
While the noise around Lewis-Skelly grows louder, Arteta has chosen to stay firmly on script.
Pressed this week on the teenager’s future, the Arsenal manager refused to give any hint as to whether the club would cash in or close ranks around him.
“I’m not going to talk about any speculation,” he said. “If there is a speculation about our players, that’s a good sign.”
No denial. No reassurance. Just a cool, calculated line that leaves every door open.
As the window ticks on and the debate rages, one question hangs over the Emirates: do Arsenal really believe their future lies with Zubimendi over Lewis-Skelly – and are they prepared to watch a homegrown talent develop his prime years somewhere else?
