Arsenal have officially announced the signing of 18-year-old defender Elijah Upson.

Arsenal Football Club has officially announced that 18-year-old centre-back Elijah Upson has signed a professional contract with the club ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Coincidentally, Elijah's father, Matthew Upson, also joined Arsenal in 1997 at the age of 18, thus Elijah officially followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Arsenal squad. The deal is currently awaiting the final completion of relevant regulatory procedures.

After signing the contract, Elijah shared his feelings: "I am very proud to be here, and having my family with me makes it all even more meaningful."

“My father has a lot of experience in this club, which is a great help to me. But at the same time, I am also very much looking forward to building my own reputation here and starting my professional career.”

As a physically gifted center-back, Elijah is not only a fierce defender but also a threat on the offensive end. In an interview, he discussed his technical strengths: "I am very good in the air, which is one of my advantages."

"If I can apply this skill to the offensive end, it will be a great help. In addition, I have been working hard to improve my long passing range in recent years, which is also one of my strengths."

Besides the excellent club environment, Arsenal's smooth youth development path was also a major reason for his attraction. Elijah said, "The partnership of Saliba and Gabriel in the first team has greatly inspired me. They are experienced and top-level players. I hope to build a solid foundation in the U21 team and strive for the opportunity to learn and play in the first team."

With the start of preparations for the new season, Elijah will first represent Arsenal's youth academy in training and matches, beginning his new journey at Arsenal.

Image source: Internet