Big 6 Clubs ‘Battle’ To Sign Free Agent Starlet

The summer transfer window is ongoing. In the Premier League, a trio of top teams are aiming to sign a wonderkid defender who most recently played for Tottenham Hotspur – Elijah Upson.

An England U18s centre-back who already has one goal to his name on the international stage, he is a highly-rated prospect with bags of potential in the modern game.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are looking to snap up the now-former Spurs man. He left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after rejecting a professional contract from the Lilywhites.

Nevertheless, his gamble seems to be paying off. There is seemingly no end of interest into the availability of his services – Bayern Munich are also thought to be in the race.

On top of this, journalist Simon Jones reported that Everton, Monaco, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund could also be in the mix as things stand.

However, of all the clubs interested, Arsenal seem to have the edge. The Gunners’ interest has also been the most long-standing – it was first reported by The Sun back in June.

In an ironic twist, he may be set to join Spurs’ greatest rivals – he has allegedly already visited their training ground ahead of a possible switch.

Elijah Upson U18 Premier League 2025/26 stats

What would Elijah Upson bring to Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City?

Being just 18 years of age, Upson is understandably raw, but could be polished into a top talent. He is very quick – The Metro claims he was an 100m national sprint champion whilst at school.

His timing is impressive, as is his technical ability – he can win back possession and turn defence into attack within second as a result of these two attributes. On top of this, he can pick out a longe-range pass – he isn’t restricted to playing short layoffs.

A brave, tenacious defender who is happy to put his body on the line, he has all the skills he needs to make it at the highest level of the game. Furthermore, due to his pace, he could theoretically fill in at right-back, despite being a natural centre-back.

Who is Elijah Upson’s father Matthew Upson?

The father of Elijah, Matthew Upson, was a highly-accomplished defender in both the Premier League and the England national team.

Winning 21 caps for his country and playing for teams such as Arsenal, West Ham United and Birmingham City, he was generally characterised as a defender ahead of his time.

All in all, Upson made an impressive 289 Premier League appearances over the course of his career, scoring nine goals along the way. Additionally, he also made 73 appearances in the Championship, ending his career at MK Dons in 2016.

A strong passer of the ball who combined his technical ability with defensive solidity, he was part of the Gunners squad that won the Premier League title at the end of the 2001/02 season.