Declan Rice Raves About Arsenal’s New Talent, Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, has heaped praise on his “very special” teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly, insisting the youngster can go to the very top.

Lewis-Skelly, a midfielder who has risen through the ranks as an Arsenal youth prospect has made the transition to the first team this season as a left-back.

He has started the last three Premier League matches, catching the eye of Mikel Arteta, who has preferred him over more seasoned alternatives.

England international Rice said it was “ridiculous” how good the 18-year-old already is.

“He can go to the top, this kid is just special, very special,” Rice told the Arsenal website.

“For an 18-year-old to be that good, that comfortable, that strong it was like he was built in a lab!

“I said that to him the other day, it’s just ridiculous how good he is, but he has a long way to go. He’s so level-headed, and he’s got a great family around him; I know his mum looks after him, and all the boys at the training ground do, too.

“We have a really good crop of youngsters coming through, and he can be what he wants to be; he just needs to stay focused and always want more, and he can do that.”

Lewis-Skelly is one of two teenagers from the Hale End academy who have received consistent playing time from Arteta this season, with Ethan Nwaneri also impressing in midfield.

On Friday, he was selected ahead of Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, and Kieran Tierney, with the left-back quartet all available for the substitutes’ bench.

After Friday’s 1-0 victory against Ipswich that lifted Arsenal to second in the Premier League, Arteta said of Lewis-Skelly.

“He is a special character. He is well ahead of his age and then he has qualities where he adapts to the way that we are playing. Credit to him.”