Mikel Arteta’s Son, 16, Joins Arsenal’s Youth Squad

The list of father-son duos in the Premier League has expanded once again, with Mikel Arteta’s 16-year-old son appearing for Arsenal’s Under-17 team last week.

Gabriel Arteta Bernal, the oldest of Arteta’s three children with wife Lorena Bernal, played in a 3-3 draw against Watford in the EFL Cup. Born in 2009 during Mikel’s time at Everton, Gabriel spent most of his childhood in London after his father transferred to Arsenal in 2011, while still a player.

He has been part of Arsenal’s youth setup for several years and participated in the club’s 2023 pre-season training camp as an assistant. Now, he plays further up the field than his father, occupying the right-wing position, with aspirations to develop into a player like Bukayo Saka.

It remains unclear if Gabriel will sign a professional contract with Arsenal. If he does, he would join as a first-year scholar, following a path taken by other talented offspring of football legends.

Mikel Arteta’s son Gabriel (pictured in 2023) played for Arsenal Under 17s last week

Gabriel (right) joined the Arsenal youth setup several years back but has yet to sign a professional contract

This development adds Gabriel to a list of sons of Premier League legends making their mark in the professional game. Other examples include Lorenz Ferdinand, who recently signed his first professional contract with Brighton after progressing through their academy, and Kai Rooney, who has earned a call-up to Manchester United’s U-19 squad.

Additionally, Emile Heskey’s sons, Jaden and Reigan, are impressing in Manchester City’s U-21 team, while Liam Delap, son of Rory Delap, secured a high-profile transfer to Chelsea after an impressive debut season at Ipswich.