Rio Ferdinand urges Manchester United and Chelsea to sign Myles Lewis-Skelly

Rio Ferdinand has told Manchester United and Chelsea to stop hesitating and start spending if Myles Lewis-Skelly is really on the table this summer.

The former United defender urged his old club to “press the green button” and move decisively for the Arsenal teenager, who has reportedly been offered to both Premier League rivals after a breakout season in north London.

Arsenal’s surprise sale?

Lewis-Skelly, 19, had to wait for his moment in 2025-26. The first half of the campaign stuttered. The second half exploded.

Thrown into Mikel Arteta’s side during the run-in, he became a key part of the team that surged to the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final. By the end of the season, he wasn’t just a promising kid filling gaps. He was driving one of Europe’s most ruthless midfields.

Yet Arsenal are understood to be open to cashing in. The club have just sealed a £75 million move for Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, crowding an already competitive midfield and opening the door to a major sale.

That is where Ferdinand thinks United and Chelsea should pounce.

‘Get the chequebook out’

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand didn’t bother with subtlety. He called Lewis-Skelly “a top player” and insisted United, in particular, cannot afford to watch this opportunity pass them by.

“If I’m Manchester United right now I say press the green button and buy him, take him, right now,” he said. “What a player, a top player. He was a massive part of the team when he was brought in towards the end of the season. He contributed to Arsenal winning the league, he was brilliant and came in and produced.

“If he’s on the market and he’s a good price you have to take him. The good price I’m saying is £60m or £70m. If that’s the case, get the chequebook out, slap it down and sign him. No questions asked, I would take him.”

For Ferdinand, that £60–70m bracket is not a gamble. It’s value for a player who has already delivered at the sharp end of a title race.

The tactical fit at Old Trafford

The appeal, in his eyes, goes beyond raw talent.

Lewis-Skelly can operate in midfield, but his ability to cover at left-back is what really lights up Ferdinand’s tactical radar. United leaned heavily on Luke Shaw last season, and although the England international stayed fit and featured regularly, the depth behind him looks thin.

Patrick Dorgu, Ferdinand pointed out, now profiles more as a left-winger. Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot can fill in but are not natural options on that flank. One Shaw injury, and the balance of the back line shifts uncomfortably.

“He’s young, a huge talent, can play in two positions and I think mentally he’s made of the right stuff,” Ferdinand said. “The left-back position at Manchester United is not a problem because we’ve got Luke Shaw who played a lot of games last season and stayed fit.

“But if he does get injured we haven’t got a natural left-back sitting there. Dorgu is more of a left-winger now and Mazraoui and Dalot aren’t full left-backs. So that’s an area I think you can bring in someone like Myles Lewis-Skelly and he can play man, definitely.”

For a club trying to rebuild with younger, multi-functional players, Lewis-Skelly ticks every box Ferdinand cares about: age, versatility, mentality, and top-level experience.

A career at a crossroads

Lewis-Skelly’s rise has been rapid. Since making his senior debut for his boyhood club in 2024, he has racked up 75 appearances for Arsenal. His form pushed him into the England setup, earning six caps, though Thomas Tuchel left him out of the most recent World Cup squad.

Now comes the next big decision.

Arsenal, armed with Guimaraes and stacked in midfield, appear ready to listen to offers. Metro report that the Gunners have floated his name to both United and Chelsea, inviting bids in a window where elite young talent rarely comes available domestically.

For Lewis-Skelly, any move to Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge would keep him in the Premier League spotlight and hand him a fresh platform to accelerate his development.

The question is no longer whether he’s good enough. He’s already shown that in a title-winning side. The question is who is brave enough to put the money down first.