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The ever-growing father-son list in the Premier League has received its latest member after Mikel Arteta’s 16-year-old son appeared for Arsenal Under 17s last week.
Gabriel Arteta Bernal, the eldest of the Gunners boss’s three children, whom he shares with wife Lorena Bernal, is believed to have featured in a 3-3 draw against Watford in the Premier League Cup.
The teenager was born while his father was on the books at Everton in 2009, but spent the majority of his childhood in London after Mikel’s move to Arsenal, which he made two years later, while he was still a player.
Gabriel has been a part of the Arsenal academy set-up for many years now, and even played a part in the senior team’s pre-season training camp in 2023, although only as an assistant to the coaching staff.
Since then, he has grown as a player. He plays further up the pitch than his father, in the right-wing position, as he looks to become the next Bukayo Saka.
It is not yet known if Gabriel is to follow in the footsteps of his father and sign a contract with the club. If he were to put pen to paper, he would become a first-year scholar.
Mikel Arteta’s 16-year-old son Gabriel (pictured in 2023) played for Arsenal Under 17s last week
Gabriel (right) joined the Arsenal youth set-up a few years ago, but is yet to sign a contract
The news of Arteta’s son featuring in the Gunners youth set-up means that he joins fellow children of Premier League legends in signing for a top-flight outfit.
Rio Ferdinand’s son Lorenz recently graduated from Brighton’s academy and signed his first professional contract with the club.
The 18-year-old, the eldest of the Manchester United legend’s children he shares with his first wife, the late Rebecca Ellison, first joined the Seagulls as part of their under-13 squad.
Ferdinand, who plays as a goalkeeper, has quickly risen through the ranks and featured in his first Premier League 2 game this year.
The teenager was later sent on loan to Havant & Waterlooville as part of a work experience deal to allow him to build up playing time after the non-league side’s first-choice keeper, Ben Dudzinski, was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
During his six unbeaten appearances, Lorenz kept two clean sheets in an impressive showing for the Southern League outfit. Meanwhile, Kai Rooney, 15, son of Rio’s former team-mate and England captain Wayne, is currently earning rave reviews at Manchester United.
The young star recently took a major step in his bid to follow in his father Wayne’s footsteps as he earned a surprising call-up to United’s Under-19 squad.
Gabriel is one of a number of sons of ex-Premier League stars to hold aspirations of emulating their fathers. Kai Rooney, son of Wayne, is earning rave reviews at Man United
Rio Ferdinand’s son signed his first professional contract with Brighton and Hove Albion in July
Emile Heskey’s sons Jaden, 18, and Reigan, 16, have performed well in Man City’s under-21 team.
They will hope to be following in the path of the likes of Jayden Danns, son of ex-Liverpool star Neil, who made his debut for the Anfield club last year.
In a dream scenario, the youngsters could emulate Liam Delap, son of Stoke City’s former long throw specialist Rory, who has earned a £30million move to Chelsea this summer after an impressive debut Premier League season at Ipswich.
