Real Madrid are perhaps the biggest threat to any club in Europe with a valuable asset with less than two years left on their contract. Los Blancos have made it club policy to sign top players as free agents in recent years, something they have done successfully.
No wonder it was concerning news for Arsenal then, that Los Blancos had been impressed with breakout left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly. Real Madrid have carried out this policy with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, even if he ended moving for a minor fee eventually, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger, while making an effort to sign Alphonso Davies. Lewis-Skelly has just a year left on his deal though, and Arsenal will be desperate to wrap up a new contract.
Hence it will be a relief for fans of the Gunners to learn that Arsenal are finally making some ground in talks with Lewis-Skelly, after months without movement. Caught Offside say that Sporting Director Andrea Berta has opened talks, and Arsenal are supposedly relaxed about the situation.
Earlier in the season, Real Madrid scouts also watched on admiringly as Ethan Nwaneri scored a brilliant goal against Girona in the Champions League group stage. He is another player Arsenal are working on a deal for, but it appears Berta has started to make ground in that case too.
The good news for Arsenal is that Los Blancos are also making moves for players in the same positions as Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri this summer. Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras is their top choice at left-back, while 17-year-old Argentine starlet Franco Mastantuono appears to be the next wonderkid they will try to sign. If those players arrive, moves for both of the Arsenal duo become less obvious.