Arsenal Midfielder Demiane Agustien Draws Interest from Indonesia Coach Amid Citizenship Law Review

Demiane Agustien, a 19‑year‑old Arsenal U‑21 midfielder, has Indonesian ancestry through his mother, who is of Egyptian‑Indonesian descent. Indonesian national team coach John Herdman has placed the player on his radar as a potential addition to the Garuda squad.

Staff for Indonesia’s Minister of Law, Noor Korompot, announced on Instagram that the government is considering revising the citizenship law to allow limited dual nationality for high‑performing athletes. The current single‑citizenship rule requires athletes to renounce any foreign nationality before representing Indonesia. The proposed change could enable Agustien, born in the Netherlands and also holding Curaçao heritage, to obtain Indonesian citizenship without giving up his other passports and thus strengthen the national team.

If approved, the law would create a pathway for diaspora talent like Agustien, who has previously played for Dutch youth sides, to join Indonesia’s senior side without fully relinquishing his existing nationality.