Lewis-Skelly to Man Utd and Rashford to Arsenal? Stunning swap deal tipped to happen

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Suraj Radia | Editor

Manchester United could still end up signing Myles Lewis-Skelly from Arsenal this summer after an intriguing proposition was made that could end up solving two of Michael Carrick’s major problems in one swoop.

Reports emerged this week that Lewis-Skelly had been offered to both United and Chelsea after fears that the 19-year-old’s game time could be reduced at Arsenal amid the signing of Bruno Guimaraes.

United have held a long-term interest in Lewis-Skelly and, while they have not yet pursued a deal, Arsenal legend Lee Dixon believes a swap for Marcus Rashford could represent a shrewd move for all parties.

"Would I swap Lewis-Skelly and Rashford? You know what, I probably would," Dixon told BestBettingSites. "And that's nothing against Lewis-Skelly, it's about giving him the freedom to go and expand his game elsewhere.

"With Rashford, he's a player who needs an arm around his shoulder, and Mikel Arteta would be great for him. Give him that love, give him the freedom to play on that left side, and yeah, I'd like to see him in an Arsenal shirt.

“I have my reservations about whether he's consistently a top-class player, but based on what Arsenal have in the squad now, he'd be a good addition."

Could Myles Lewis-Skelly leave Arsenal for Man Utd?

United are hoping to sign a left-back before the end of the transfer window and also strengthening in midfield, making Lewis-Skelly a useful target as a player who can slot in at both positions.

However, Arsenal have insisted they have not directly offered Lewis-Skelly to any club, while the youngster himself has no desire to leave his boyhood side and is keen to fight for his place in Arteta’s team.

United are thought to have doubts over how much Lewis-Skelly would actually cost, despite reports of a £45 million (€52.7m) asking price from Arsenal.

Lewis-Skelly is still highly-rated at Arsenal and the Gunners will have no desire to sell their star youngster on the cheap, having previously seen his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) reach more than €60m less than a year ago.

It is thought that a deal would only progress if Arsenal tell Lewis-Skelly that they wish to sell him, with Arteta’s side still hoping to raise funds to make a marquee signing in attack before the end of the month.

Lewis Hall remains United’s ideal signing at left-back but, with Newcastle adamant that they will not consider any offers for the England international, Lewis-Skelly could represent a more realistic alternative going into the final weeks of the window.

So where does Marcus Rashford come into all this?

Rashford could also prove to be a pivotal figure in any move for Lewis-Skelly, with United still desperate to get the 28-year-old’s wages off their books despite reintegrating him back into their squad following his loan at Barcelona last season.

Current ETV

Marcus Rashford

F, M (L)

Man Utd

Marcus Rashford

F, M (L)

Man Utd

€31.3M

ETV Range

€28.1M - €34.4M

View full profile

Permanent offers have not been forthcoming for Rashford so far this summer and United are reluctant to sanction any loan deals despite tentative interest from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea earlier in the window.

Although Arsenal are eyeing a bigger fish in attack such as Julian Alvarez, Arteta is aware that a deal for the Atletico Madrid star may be difficult, making Rashford a flawed-yet-capable option as a left-sided player who can also feature up front.

Arsenal and Arteta have long admired Rashford and the club have previously shown they would consider unpopular signings from rivals to bolster the squad if the deal is financially a low-risk.

Should Arsenal find themselves lacking options closer to deadline day, Rashford may emerge as an option and United would certainly be open to any offers for his exit, particularly if Lewis-Skelly can arrive in exchange.

The structure of a deal may not be obvious at this point but, with both clubs admiring both players and still searching for solutions to those positions in their respective squads, a swap deal for Rashford and Lewis-Skelly may not be that farfetched as time winds down in the transfer window.