Thomas Tuchel has already called Everton’s left-back target ‘amazing’

Everton are expected to refresh their left-back options this summer, and the search has led Goodison Park scouts toward Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly. With Vitalii Mykolenko among six players whose contracts expire next year, manager David Moyes and his recruitment staff have compiled a list of successors, and Lewis-Skelly’s name has risen to the top after falling out of Mikel Arteta’s first-team picture since 8 January.

Although the 19-year-old is under contract at the Emirates until 2029, his modest haul of 16 appearances this season has fuelled speculation that a move could suit all parties. What may convince Everton to push harder is the ringing endorsement the versatile defender received from England head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Speaking in March 2024, Tuchel lauded Lewis-Skelly’s mentality, saying: “His mindset is perfect. He’s not just physically good but mentally very good. Very open, very humble and wants to improve.” The praise did not stop there. A year later, after calling the youngster into an England camp, Tuchel described him as “amazing” and “a standout personality.”

“He was amazing in camp,” Tuchel reiterated. “Full of confidence, full of humour. You see everything on the pitch, off the pitch. He does it with a natural confidence. That’s how he plays football. Full of courage and quality. He was decisive and opened this game for us.”

Tuchel also highlighted Lewis-Skelly’s adaptability, noting that he featured as a No 8 or 10 during the second half of an international fixture. “I think his best position is where he plays for Arsenal in the left double six, inverted role,” the England manager added, signalling that the teenager could offer Everton cover in both defence and midfield.

Given Tuchel’s track record of developing elite talent at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, such public admiration is likely to carry significant weight in Everton’s final deliberations ahead of the summer window.