‘Learn and get better’ – Elijah Upson reveals why he left Tottenham to join Arsenal

‘Learn and get better’ – Elijah Upson reveals why he left Tottenham to join Arsenal

Young defender Elijah Upson has quickly become a figure of frustration among Tottenham supporters after opting to leave the club’s academy and sign with their arch-rivals across North London.

Although Spurs have bolstered their first-team squad with established Premier League talent this summer, the departure of several promising youngsters has also marked the window.

Luka Vuskovic, Tynan Thompson, Alfie Devine, and Will Lankshear have all moved on, with speculation suggesting Ashley Phillips may follow suit. Now, another highly regarded academy graduate has crossed the divide to join Arsenal.

Teenager Elijah Upson Opens Up on Choosing Arsenal Over Tottenham

The 18-year-old centre-back turned down a number of contract extensions from Spurs to make the switch to the Emirates. Widely rated within Tottenham’s youth setup, Upson has admitted that the prospect of training alongside Arsenal’s elite defensive duo was a major draw.

Speaking after signing with the Gunners, the former Spurs trainee said (via The Standard):
“That was one of the big reasons for my decision – obviously great exposure to some of these great players that have had a great season here and some real top quality. I’m excited to hopefully be around and work with these people.

I think definitely the centre-back partnership in the first team that there is between [William] Saliba and Gabriel, they’re a good inspiration and really experienced, high-quality players. They’ve had a great season, definitely two players that I’m really keen to learn from and expose myself to.”

Upson Adds to Spurs’ Disappointment by Voicing Pride in Arsenal Move

The teenager follows in the footsteps of his father, former England international Mathew Upson, who also came through Arsenal’s youth ranks before captaining West Ham. Elijah, already an England U18 international, didn’t hold back in expressing his excitement about joining the Gunners.

He added:

“It’s a great feeling, really proud to be here. When I met the guys here recently and met all the team and staff, it just seemed like a really nice environment. That was probably the biggest factor, an environment where you feel you can hopefully learn and get better as a person.”