Arsenal’s senior Premier League squad list for the first half of the 2026/27 season still stands as confirmed, with three places open under the 25-player limit. As of 2 October 2026, that remains the position, and the main question from supporters is the Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal squad omission from the 22-man list.
Lewis-Skelly has not been dropped by Mikel Arteta. He sits on Arsenal’s Under-21 list, which means he does not need a senior slot and stays fully available to play in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal confirm 22-man squad with three open slots
Arsenal named a 22-man senior Premier League squad for the first half of the 2026/27 season, leaving three places free under the 25-player registration limit. The club brought in four major signings during the summer transfer window to strengthen that squad.
Several senior players left on permanent deals over the same window. Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, Christian Nørgaard, Fabio Vieira and Karl Hein all departed Arsenal for good, clearing space on the list and in the wage budget. Full detail on how the list was built sits in our original squad confirmation report.
Homegrown player quota fulfilled
Eight of Arsenal’s 22 registered senior players qualify as homegrown under Premier League rules. Eberechi Eze, Ezri Konsa, Noni Madueke, David Raya, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Ben White all meet the homegrown criteria.
That number satisfies the quota Arsenal must fill. It gives Arteta room to manage the rest of the squad without extra restrictions around home-trained players.
Why Myles Lewis-Skelly was omitted from the Arsenal squad list
The Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal squad omission comes down to one simple rule. He is registered on Arsenal’s Under-21 list rather than the senior 22-man list, so he does not count against the 25-player cap.
That registration status does not stop him playing. Lewis-Skelly remains fully eligible for Premier League matches and can be named in a matchday squad whenever Arteta picks him. His appearance in the trip to Brighton line-up underlines that point.
What happens next for Arteta’s squad depth
Three open spots remain under the 25-player limit. There is no confirmed plan yet to fill them, and the club has not registered any further additions since the window closed.
For Lewis-Skelly, the route to games runs through team selection rather than squad registration. His Under-21 status gives Arsenal flexibility elsewhere on the list, while leaving him free to keep playing for the first team.
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