Gabriel Arteta Bernal, son of manager Mikel Arteta, spent time training with the Arsenal u21s this week, a huge step for the 17-year-old winger after signing scholarship terms with the club.
From Scholarship To Stepping Up: A Rapid Rise
The Premier League confirmed back in June that young Gabriel signed scholarship terms, officially landing him on the Gunners' 'retained list' for players under contract past June 30th. While he's technically old enough to ink a professional deal, he's currently on that scholarship deal in North London. This week, we saw him out there with the u21s as they kick off their pre-season training after the summer break. It's wild to think he was helping out the coaching staff during 2023 pre-season, not even joining drills as a player. What a difference a year makes, right?
Last season, Arteta Jr. really started making his mark. He picked up a couple of appearances for the Arsenal u17s, jumping into a 1-1 friendly draw against Shrewsbury Town and a 3-3 Premier League Cup draw with Watford last October. It's not a shock he got his first shots in those kinds of matches, since Arsenal usually rotates their squads for friendlies and cup games. But then he kicked it into high gear, stepping up to the u18s in April and May, bagging four u18 Premier League appearances for the side. That's some serious progression, for real.
What's Next For The Teenage Winger?
Look, seeing Gabriel move from those u17 appearances to playing with the u18s in competitive matches, signing that scholarship, and now training with the u21s? That's concrete progress, and it tells you everything you need to know about where the club sees him headed. This isn't just a casual link-up anymore, it's a clear signal. You gotta expect he's set for even more opportunities with the u18s this season. Keep your eyes peeled on this kid, Gunners fans, because his journey is just getting started and it's looking pretty good!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.