Arsenal fend off massive competition to sign Tottenham youngster Elijah Upson | OneFootball

Arsenal have beaten several top clubs to sign highly rated teenage defender Elijah Upson following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur.

The 18-year-old centre-back allowed his Spurs scholarship to expire after rejecting a professional contract offer, sparking a fierce battle to sign him.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Everton all made serious attempts to keep the powerful defender in England.

Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco also made concrete offers before Upson opted to join the Gunners after visiting their training ground.

Upson is the son of former England international Matthew Upson, who began his Premier League career at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger.

An England Under-18 international, Upson is a natural centre-back who pairs an imposing physical presence with outstanding pace, having previously been a national schoolboy 100 metres sprint champion.

His blend of athleticism, aerial prowess and composed long-range distribution makes him a prototype for the modern, front-footed defender.

Signing Upson is an extremely satisfying piece of business for Arsenal, especially as they look set to lose Hale End academy prodigy Kyran Thompson.

Having gained extensive youth experience with Spurs at youth level, Upson arrives at the Sobha Realty Training Centre with a strong foundation to build on.