Arsenal 18yo on trial with Real Sociedad as contract uncertainty looms | OneFootball

Zac Shuaib, an 18-year-old midfielder in Arsenal’s academy, is currently on trial with Real Sociedad’s U-18 team at the MIC Football tournament in Girona.

The trial comes at a significant moment in Shuaib’s development, with reports indicating Arsenal do not intend to offer him a professional contract at the end of the current season.

Photo via Shuaib on Instagram

Shuaib, who has returned to action after recovering from a serious injury, is playing with the Basque club’s youth setup during the competition. According to Mundo Deportivo, he has already featured in the Premier League U-18 for Brighton earlier this season while on a short-term trial there.

Now, Real Sociedad are evaluating whether to offer the English midfielder a place in their academy, joining other international trialists including players from Japan, Guinea, and Ghana.

Zac Shuaib, from Arsenal, on trial with Real at the MIC – Mundo Deportivo, 19 April 2025

Raised in Ladbroke Grove in West London, Shuaib was a scholarship student at Eton College, juggling academic intensity with the demands of elite youth football, an experience he described as “challenging but eye-opening.”

“I had to make time for football and education, this became more important when I sat my GCSEs in the summer,” he told Arsenal’s official channels in 2023.

Initially scouted at age 13, Shuaib received offers from multiple clubs including Tottenham, Fulham, Norwich, and Leyton Orient, eventually spending over a year with Tottenham before making the move to Arsenal just before his 15th birthday.

His time at London Colney began with nerves and confusion. “I got lost on my first day at London Colney! It’s so much bigger than Hale End,” he said. “It’s a fantastic facility and it is surreal when you see the likes of Saka, Odegaard, Rice and Arteta around the building.”

Photo via Shuaib on Instagram

Under the guidance of former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, Shuaib has developed as a central midfielder with a deep appreciation for the position. “Working under Jack Wilshere has been brilliant, to say the least. He’s a centre mid like me and he’s someone who’s played at the top level. He’s played in big Champions League games, and cup finals and represented his country at the World Cup.”

Shuaib has previously described Sergio Busquets as a model for his own style of play, citing the Barcelona legend’s ability to control tempo and dictate matches. While his game has leaned toward the deep-lying playmaker archetype, he’s spoken openly about his goal to add more attacking threat. “I want to increase my goals and assists like the best midfielders in the world do,” he said.

Despite his ambitions, the path to a senior contract at Arsenal has narrowed. Injuries and intense competition in midfield appear to have delayed his progress at a crucial stage, and the club’s current first-team structure leaves limited room for transitional players.

His trial at Real Sociedad signals a pivotal moment in his career, one that could shape the next phase of his development.

“No one knows what the future holds,” Shuaib said last year when asked about his long-term goals.

For now, it seems the future lies far from North London.