Demiane Agustien, 19, called into Arsenal first-team training ahead of Champions League trip to Lille

On 13 October 2026, 19-year-old Demiane Agustien was called up by Mikel Arteta to train with Arsenal’s first team ahead of the club’s Champions League clash with Lille.

Arsenal youth specialist Jorge Bird reported that Agustien took part in the entire session, while a small number of other youngsters were brought in for specific segments. The call-up came amid intense competition for places and recent injuries to Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie, factors Bird noted create openings for academy players to press their case.

Agustien is registered with Arsenal’s U21 side and operates as a winger and attacking midfielder. He has been a regular participant in Premier League 2 and has received direct training time with the senior squad.

His formative football education took place in England at West Bromwich Albion’s youth programme before he moved to Derby County in 2023, where he featured for Derby’s U18 and U21 teams and scored 14 goals. He then joined Arsenal and signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2025.

Agustien is the son of former Premier League midfielder and Curaçao international Kemy Agustien. His family background includes an Indonesian maternal grandmother, a Dutch mother and a Curaçaoan father, making him eligible for multiple national teams.

At youth international level, Agustien has represented the Netherlands at U18 and U19 and has featured for Curaçao at U17; the article states he appears to have decided to represent the Netherlands and that he currently plays for the Dutch youth side. He has drawn comparisons to Germany’s Jamal Musiala.

A 2025 piece on the Dutch news website Nederlandse Omroep Stichting described him as “is a playmaker with an exceptional shot with his left foot.”

His inclusion in first-team training arrives directly ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match with Lille, the fixture cited when he was called up.