Unveiling the Emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly: An Arsenal Teammate Shares Insights on the Rising English Stars
WHILE Prem stars Myles Lewis-Skelly and Levi Colwill prepare for competition with England, two former teammates are striving to avoid relegation to League Two.
Bradley Ibrahim, a 20-year-old midfielder for Crawley, captained the Arsenal team that made it to the FA Youth Cup final two years ago, alongside both Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
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Meanwhile, Charlie Webster, a 21-year-old midfielder for Burton, has moved up through the Chelsea ranks alongside 22-year-old Colwill and worked under England manager Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge.
Ibrahim, currently on loan from German side Hertha Berlin, believes that Lewis-Skelly’s England call-up at just 18 marks the start of many opportunities ahead.
The two grew up together at Arsenal, and Ibrahim shared with SunSport: “I spoke to Myles on Friday after his selection was announced while I was heading to Cambridge. He was ecstatic.”
Ibrahim credits Lewis-Skelly’s accomplishments to his aggression, strength, fearlessness, self-confidence, and humility.
He stated: “Myles has always been bold — he plays without fear. No matter the opposition, Myles believes in himself as one of the best and that he will be the best.”
However, Ibrahim emphasized that off the field, the young player remains modest due to his family values.
He reminisced about how Lewis-Skelly’s mother, Marcia, consistently guided him to stay grounded. “His advancement has been supported by having wonderful parents. His mum is a strong influence and always ensured he maintained discipline.
“He wasn’t the type to go out much, often due to his mum’s restrictions.
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“He’s articulate and treats everyone with respect — from kitchen staff to managers. He embodies humility.”
Lewis-Skelly is set to potentially make his senior debut in Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Albania, having made his Premier League debut just in September against Manchester City. He received a red card against Wolves and West Ham this season.
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Gunners manager Mikel Arteta had to substitute him after just 35 minutes at PSV Eindhoven this month to protect him after he picked up an early yellow card.
Despite the red card against Wolves being rescinded, concerns about his aggressive style linger.
But Ibrahim remarked: “If you tone down his aggression, you take away a vital element of his game. If he were older, people wouldn’t make such a fuss about it, but because of his youth, it’s often seen negatively. He approaches all activities in training and small-sided matches seriously.”
He’s articulate and treats everyone with respect — from kitchen staff to managers. He embodies humility.
Bradley Ibrahim on Myles Lewis-Skelly
Ibrahim’s fondest memory with his friend was his pivotal extra-time winner in the FA Youth Cup semi-final against Manchester City in 2023.
However, the Gunners fell 5-1 to West Ham in the final.
Nwaneri, who recently celebrated his 18th birthday, was also a part of that squad and remarkably entered the Under-18s at just 14.
The Arsenal talent has already made 21 Premier League appearances since debuting at 15 years and 181 days, the youngest in Premier League history.
Ibrahim, whose Crawley side is currently third from bottom and facing Bristol Rovers on Friday, stated: “He is not overhyped — he’s exceptional and one of the best players I’ve played with.”
