‘Like an Ashley Cole’ – Myles Lewis-Skelly told he can be as good as England and Premier League legend on one condition
03/23/2025 12:06 PM
Myles Lewis-Skelly could become the next Ashley Cole for England.
That’s the view of talkSPORT’s Scott Minto, who also believes the 18-year-old could hold down the left-back spot for at least a decade.
Lewis-Skelly received a first England call-up last week and made an instant impact on his international debut, which saw the Three Lions beat Albania 2-0.
The Arsenal youngster scored their opening goal in the World Cup qualifying victory on Friday night and made history by doing so.
It marked another solid performance throughout his first season in senior football, and he’s already been linked to an England legend.
Cole is a three-time Premier League winner with Arsenal and Chelsea, and earned 107 caps with the Three Lions.
He is regarded as one of the all-time greats at left-back, and talkSPORT’s Minto believes Lewis-Skelly could go on and match him.
“You know me Faye, I’m not one to make big headline statements,” the former Chelsea defender said on the Saturday Session with Faye Carruthers.
“But I think he can be England’s left-back for the next decade stroke 15 years. You know I do the All Access podcast with Sam Matterface and Alex Crook, I do it every Thursday with them.
“We’ve spoken a few times about him and obviously it’s my position, so I have an opinion about lots of different positions.
“But I have something obviously special about a full-back but most definitely a left-back. Now, he’s a midfielder, and I actually think that helps him a lot.
“So he’ll have to make a decision in his head as to, does he… is he in the Arsenal first team just to play games right now and then eventually become that midfielder? Or is he happy to be a left-back for the rest of his career?
“If he’s happy to be a left-back for the rest of his career, I genuinely think with the ability that he’s got and if he’s able to keep his feet on the ground and stay motivated, he can be England’s left-back for the next decade.
“He can be like an Ashley Cole, whether he can be as good as Ashley Cole we’ll wait and see, but I think he’s got the attributes to.”
Minto added: “He’s got all the ability in the world. I mean, he’s sharp, he’s quick, he gets forward, he can defend.
“And once he realises how to defend in a one-on-one situation, I genuinely think this kid could be absolutely brilliant. And in modern day football where players, full-backs are being asked to move into midfield and be that inverted midfielder, that’s his position.
“He’s home to that, he’s natural to it, so every box is ticked for him. If he can just stay fit, stay motivated, feet on the ground, we talked about the family that he’s got…
“As much as you say Luke Shaw, never fit. Ben Chilwell, I love him, I love watching him play, that left-back performance against Manchester City in the Champions League final, if you watch it, and I was watching him, the way he kept Riyad Mahrez so quiet, he was sensational.
“But that was a long time ago now and he has injury problems. The rest, I’m sorry, even with Lewis Hall, I think he’s ahead of the game at the moment.”
Lewis-Skelly has made 26 appearances and started in nine Premier League matches for Arsenal this season.
He played 90 minutes in England’s win over Albania that saw Thomas Tuchel get off to a winning start as manager.
The Three Lions return to Wembley on Monday night with their next qualifier against Latvia, live on talkSPORT.
