Arsenal youngster Kyran Thompson appears to have been promoted to the Arsenal u18s, despite still being young enough to play for the u16s.
Kyran Thompson with the Arsenal u18s (Photo by David Price via Getty Images)
Photo by David Price via Getty Images
Highly-rated Arsenal youngster Kyran Thompson is currently an u16 player by age, but the Gunners appear to have given him an early promotion to the u18 squad.
There were initial signs of the promotion in late June, when the Arsenal u18s returned to training. Thompson took part in a session with the team wearing the number 96, an official squad number.
Those numbers are usually reserved for the u18s and above, where they’re needed for u19 UEFA Youth League games and u21 EFL Trophy matches. In the lower age groups, the players generally just take numbers from 1-11 (and up for the substitutes) on a game-by-game basis.
Kyran Thompson taking part in the Arsenal u18 photocall (Photo by David Price via Getty Images)
Photo by David Price via Getty Images
Thompson then took part in Arsenal’s u18 photocall, having also worn u18 bibs in training. It certainly seems as though it’s a full-time promotion, rather than just a one-off session in an older age group.
That wouldn’t be surprising, with Thompson having represented the u16s as an u15 player last season. The youngster scored the opener in the u16 Premier League Cup final as Arsenal triumphed 3-1 over Chelsea.
Thompson even made his u18 Premier League debut in 2024/25, coming on in the win over Norwich City in April.
Kyran Thompson holding the u16 Premier League Cup trophy (Photo via Thompson on Instagram)
Photo via Thompson on Instagram
Arsenal have invested heavily in Thompson already, fighting off competition from Manchester City, Spurs, and Chelsea to sign him for a fee of £1.1m from West Ham United last year.
The Gunners strengthened their case by also offering Thompson a full scholarship at St. John’s Senior School. It worked, and the club are now reaping the rewards.
Arsenal have made a habit of promoting their top talents early in recent seasons, doing the same thing with the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Max Dowman. Thompson is the latest to follow in those footsteps.
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