Mikel Arteta’s Son Makes Arsenal U-18s Debut

Mikel Arteta’s eldest son made his competitive debut for Arsenal’s under-18s on Wednesday when they beat Reading 3-0 at Bearwood Park.

Gabriel Arteta Bernal came off the bench in the 70th minute in a game that was one by a goal from Emerson Nwaneri (Ethan Nwaneri’s 15-year-old brother) and a brace from Alex Marciniak.

Arteta’s son, 16, had previously been named on the bench for the U18s friendly against Ipswich Town in February.

His appearance comes six months after he made his competitive debut for the U17s in their Premier League Cup meeting with Watford in October.

Unlike the Arsenal boss who operated in central midfield for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Everton and the Gunners, Gabriel is seen as a winger.

Meanwhile, QPR’s head of emerging talent, Dean Barker, has announced he has joined the recruitment team at Arsenal’s academy.

He has spent time working as a PE teacher at the same school that produced Arsenal academy product Ethan Nwaneri who is spending the season on loan at Marseille after struggling for minutes amid Arsenal’s Premier League title charge.