Real Madrid identify shock new Arsenal transfer target after failed William Saliba swoop

Arsenal have been dealt a blow to their hopes of tying Myles Lewis-Skelly down to a new contract. The 18-year-old defender enjoyed a brilliant debut season for the Gunners, .

Lewis-Skelly didn't make his first start for Arsenal in the Premier League until December, coming off the bench in a goalless draw with Everton at the Emirates Stadium. The Hale End graduate had only played 15 minutes in the English top-flight beforehand, but .

He went on to feature in 19 of the north Londoners' next 21 games in the Premier League, while also regularly appearing in the Carabao Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Lewis-Skelly also scored his first senior goal in a 5-1 win against Manchester City, .

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

According to , the teenager has just 12 months left on his contract and, having , Arsenal want to secure his long-term future. However, the report claims that talks over a new deal are 'not going well'.

It is said that Real Madrid, who have , are keeping tabs on the situation. William Saliba has previously been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, but any pursuit by Los Blancos has proven unsuccessful thus far.

From January 2026, foreign clubs will be eligible to open pre-contract talks with Lewis-Skelly over a free transfer in the summer – unless, of course, he signs a new contract beforehand.

If the England international doesn't pen an extension, Arsenal will be forced to make a difficult decision. The Gunners will have to consider whether they'd rather risk losing Lewis-Skelly for free, if talks prolong, or cut their losses and cash in during the upcoming transfer window.

As it stands, it remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal will be able to tie the teenager down; one thing for sure is that Arteta is a big fan. Following Lewis-Skelly's first call-up to the England squad back in March, the Gunners boss showered his defender with praise.

Arteta said: "I’m very proud of him. It's a huge moment for him and for the club as well. One of our graduates getting the call for England, it's a massive thing, so very happy. Thomas [Tuchel] is a top coach.

"I know a few people around him and the set-up in England, and I have no doubt that they will do the right thing with him. We are all really, really happy because it's a really nice story and a story that gives a lot of hope to a lot of young players that in six, seven months, your career can change dramatically, drastically for the good.

"So it's something for people to be inspired by. I think it hasn't happened because he was lucky. I think he pushed for every chance to make it happen and the way he's done it."

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Three Lions' clash against Albania, Thomas Tuchel shared the sentiment. The former Chelsea boss said: "Impressive. I understand why everyone loves the boy - a big character and very talented player.

"He is ready to go. A lot of people will be impressed with him. With injuries, we ran a little bit out of left-footers who can play left-back. We were always impressed with Myles, and he quickly became a regular player for the second-best team in the country.

"I have huge confidence in the club that they still pick him regularly, and he has been very impressive from the very start. I can understand it feels a bit like we've fast-forwarded a career that is already at fast pace, but I can assure you the talks in the last days and weeks had a kind of parental and protective vibe.

"We felt like maybe we shouldn't nominate him to protect him a little bit and to not skip him being in the under-21s to let him breathe a bit out of the spotlight. But with injuries, the quality and his maturity, we have decided to take him. He is a young and exciting player."