The son of coach Mikel Arteta is making waves at Arsenal

The eldest son of coach Mikel Arteta has just been called up to Arsenal’s U18 team, marking a new milestone in his development at the "Gunners" academy.

According to academy expert Jeorge Bird, 16-year-old Gabriel Arteta was listed on the bench for Arsenal U18’s match against Ipswich Town at the Sobha Realty training center this week. However, the young talent did not get playing time.

Arteta Jr plays as a winger. Although he has not yet signed a professional contract with the club, he was called up after training with the team recently. Previously, Gabriel represented Arsenal’s U17 and made his debut in a match against Watford in the Premier League Cup back in October.

Notably, a few years ago Gabriel traveled with the team to the US for Arsenal’s preseason training, mainly observing sessions alongside the coaching staff. At just 14 years old, he did not directly participate in the professional training sessions.

It remains unclear whether Gabriel is currently on trial or if Arsenal might offer him a contract soon. Coach Arteta has three children with his wife Lorena Bernal: Gabriel, Daniel, and Oliver.

A strong “family” atmosphere is evident at the Hale End academy, where Ethan Nwaneri’s younger brother Emerson is also making a name. In January, Emerson became the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal’s U21s, playing in the Premier League 2 match against Liverpool at 15 years and 152 days old, breaking the record previously set by his brother in 2022.

Besides U21, Emerson has also played for the U19, U18, and U16 teams, showing an impressive development path within Arsenal’s academy.

In modern football, a famous surname can open doors earlier, but it also brings much greater pressure. Ultimately, only persistence, discipline, and genuine talent allow a young player to stand firm and earn recognition on their own merit.