Arsenal are interested in Tottenham prodigy Elijah Upson ahead of the teenager’s expected departure from the club
Arsenal are targeting Tottenham defensive prodigy Elijah Upson as the teenager enters the final month of his contract with Spurs, The Athletic reports. The 18-year-old centre-back is set to depart the North London club when his contract expires at month’s end, with the Gunners understood to have already begun preliminary talks with his representatives.
Tottenham are losing several promising youth talents as a cohort of young players opt not to renew their expiring deals. Elijah Upson is among them, with the club having confirmed his departure on their official website. The Lilywhites had offered Upson fresh terms but he declined, preferring to explore opportunities elsewhere as he seeks a pathway to senior football.
Arsenal are well-placed to pursue the teenager, who is the son of former Gunners defender Matthew Upson. The 18-year-old made 23 appearances last season, primarily with Tottenham’s U-18s, and also featured twice for the Under-21s in the Premier League 2 campaign. His availability has long been tracked by Arsenal, as reported by Arsenal-focused accounts on social media.
Arsenal’s youth drive gains momentum
Arsenal’s academy recruitment push extends beyond Upson. The Gunners are simultaneously closing in on deals for Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga and PSG’s Emmanuel Mbemba, signalling a broad commitment to developing young defenders. Upson’s defensive pedigree and youth-academy standing align with Mikel Arteta’s emphasis on developing promising centre-backs within the Under-21 system.
While Jeremy Monga could be seen as a first-team member given his experience, he could still play his regular football with the Under-21s, at least until Arteta deems him as important as Max Dowman, for example.
There was a mention of another name, Samuel Amissah, although Fulham have confirmed they have offered the defender a new deal. However, the case of Upson is rather clear, as Arsenal would like to take him away once he leaves Spurs in an official capacity.
Should Arsenal secure Upson’s signature, he will sign professional terms and slot into the club’s Under-21 setup under their accelerated development pathway, bringing him closer to first-team consideration as he matures.
