Arsenal signs 18-year-old Elijah Upson from Tottenham

Arsenal have secured the signing of 18-year-old defender Elijah Upson, who has left Tottenham Hotspur's academy to join their north London rivals. The move was confirmed on July 18, 2026, after the highly-regarded centre-back turned down a professional contract with Spurs.

Upson, whose scholarship with Tottenham expired on June 30, had attracted significant interest from several top European clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City, Everton, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, and Monaco. However, he ultimately chose to join Arsenal on a long-term deal. The transfer was reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, who stated the agreement was finalized and would be officially announced.

As a player under the age of 24 moving between English clubs, Arsenal will be required to pay training compensation to Tottenham for his development. The switch is reminiscent of past high-profile moves between the two clubs, most notably defender Sol Campbell's transfer from Tottenham to Arsenal in 2001.

The young defender is the son of former England international Matthew Upson, who began his senior career with Arsenal, making 57 appearances and winning the Premier League title in...