After a season on loan with Scottish club Rangers FC, Gedion Zelalem will reportedly be given every chance to assert himself with Arsenal next season.
The Telegraph is reporting that Zelalem will be given the chance to earn a spot on the Arsenal first team this summer. The club is expected to part ways with midfielders Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky at the end of the season, opening the door for Zelalem to lock down a consistent role with the senior squad.
However, the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team midfielder will have competition. Arsenal is hoping to add Borussia Monchengladbach star Granit Xhaka in the summer window, while younger players like Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny have shined throughout the season.
Still, the hope is that Zelalem will follow the path of fellow Arsenal prospect Alex Iwobi, who has made seven English Premier League appearances for the Gunners while adding two goals.
Zelalem has made 22 total appearances for Rangers since joining the team on loan, but has started just once since February. Manager Mark Warburton has been left impressed by the midfielder’s stint at the club.
“I said right from the start I wanted players who could dominate the football,” Warburton told the Daily Record. “Others may use different terms but I want players who are comfortable in possession, enjoy possession and always look to get on it.
“And if they make a mistake, show again. Look at Gedion Zelalem, a couple of games the crowd got on his back when the first couple of passes went astray but the next thing he does is go straight for the ball. He’s 18 but that’s great character, great courage to get on the ball and play in that sort of arena. That’s the type of player I’ll always go for.”
Zelalem and Rangers are back in action on Tuesday for a clash with Dumbarton.
What do you think of the latest Zelalem news? Expect him to find a role with Arsenal?
Share your thoughts below.
Depends of what you mean by “difference”. One, maybe two, of them will become regulars with the NT. Lifting the NT to a higher level it’s ever been? I don’t see anybody in this list doing that.
In the long run how many of these players are actually going go on to make difference for the senior team? I’m just curious what everyone thinks because there was a good article on starsandstripes.com the other day breaking down numbers of players and senior team caps and it was pretty interesting. I don’t have the link, sorry. My guess is Hyndman, zelalem, horvath, miazga, ccv when he gets back to being healthy he cuz he would have started, trapp, Green and of course Morris and Rubin. And I don’t really consider Jan camp caps
You have to be pretty high right now on Pulisic, Brooks, Yedlin and Miazga given their trajectories have already landed them playing time in top leagues. I’d put Zelalem and Green and maybe Hyndman in the next group — maybe one breaks through. I’m less convinced on the others (I’d include Jordan Morris in that until he does something in league play). But Yedlin, Brooks, Miazga, Cameron, Pulisic, F. Johnson and Wood is a really nice young core to build around for 2018 and its not unrealistic to believe that the 2018 lineup will feature mostly regular starters at good European clubs.
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/3/31/11331926/analysis-usmnt-olympics-roster-history
“In the long run how many of these players are actually going go on to make a difference for the senior team?” Depending on what your interpretation of “make a difference” is going to be, I’d say that the U-20/23 players fall into 3 categories:
Players who’ll be as good/better than any USMNT player we’ve had previously (Baring injury):
Brooks, Miazga, CCV, Yedlin, Pulisic, Hyndman,
Players who’ll be solid contributors (regulars w/ the team but):
Horvath, Payne, Acosta, Canouse Zelalem, Green, Payne, Rubin, Perez, EPB, Arriola, Kiessewetter, Morris
Players who’ll be fringe players (in and out of the squad):
Trapp, Parker,
I think that is a very good analysis with one exception. Except for two poor moments, I thought Parker was outstanding vs. Colombia and was our best defender in that 2 game series. He was a great last ditch defender and probably saved several goals. I was very impressed by him.
Gary Page –
I was impressed with Parker as well, but based on the the quality of the other CBs within the same age range (Brooks, Miazga, Palmer-Brown, Carter-Vickers, Alvarado), Parker will have a battle to be a top 4 CB option for the USMNT. That’s why I had him as a fringe player…Not because I don’t think he’s a quality player, but because I believe there are too many who are/will be above him in the pecking order.
Hopefully Zelalem continues his development and does well either with Arsenal or while on another loan deal. For those commenting upon the U-23s failure to qualify for the Olympics please keep in mind that a number of the players we used during the qualification process were actually very young…coming just out of the U-20 WC (Miazga, Hyndman, Trapp, Green, Payne, Acosta, Arriola, etc..). And many were young enough that they could compete in the next Olympics qualification (Zelalem, CCV, EPB, Pulisic, etc…).
There is a lot of promise in these young players. Hopefully they reach it fully.
His loan spell hasn’t been a rousing success, but citing his lack of starts since February is a bit misleading. The kid was injured.
From what I’ve seen, which is admittedly very little of his club play, I think Hyndman is looking a lot more promising right now than Zelalem. However, the Z man is still quite young and needs to fill out his body and toughen up, so it’s too soon to make a conclusion about him. I think he would do better to be loaned out to a Championship side next year or two, then maybe he’ll be ready for Arsenal.
Zelalem’s vision and passing ability is far superior than Hyndman. Zelalem is someone who could play as an advanced mid, while Hyndman is more of a holding mid. That being said Hyndman does have some qualities that remind you of Michael Bradley, which is promising.
I agree with you about the vision and passing ability, but I completely disagree with you about him playing as advanced mid, at least at this point. In the couple of times I’ve seen him play there, he looked completely out of place. He kept dropping deep to get the ball. As good as he is in possession, he really doesn’t have much in the way of 1v1 skills. He’s also not quick enough to play higher up the field in my opinion. Pulisic and Green are much more dangerous as far as attacking players go. He’s always struck me as more of a Xavi type player. That said, I haven’t seen him play with Rangers at all, so maybe something’s changed.
He definitely can’t be your typical CAM. For one, he’s never really looking for a shot. He’s always concerned with possession and positioning the attack. He looks for the killer through ball to present itself, but isn’t the type to take people on and force the defense to respond how he wants them to, yet. He’s also slowed down by his dependency on the right foot.
I currently imagine him playing best as the top right in a midfield “V” in the 4-3-3.
when I saw Z play for our youth teams, he gave up the ball too easily and got himself into trouble too often by trying to dribble when he should have passed to a teammate. In short, for such a supposedly promising player he had way too many turn overs.
he is not an advanced midfielder, he lacks speed and is not good in the dribble. He’s more of a deep lying playmaker. A position which is not really played in the premier league
First and foremost GZ needs to develop his left foot. In the handful of appearances I’ve seen from him, I remember him being very impressive in possession, but also one of the most one-footed players I’ve ever seen. That won’t fly at the EPL level.
Jordan Morris has the same habit. He would sooner use the outside of his right foot, or even a right-footed toe poke, than use his left foot.
Agreed. Being extremely dominant with, and prejudiced towards one foot is fine, but these two look down right afraid of their weaker foot. I’ve yet to see a highlight from either of them making an impressive dribble, pass, or shot with their opposite foot. And I’ve been watching their highlights for awhile … I would expect that they work at their soccer-related weaknesses almost everyday, so no serious signs of change over these last couple years is a bit concerning. Not only would it make them better, more versatile players, but I think it would give them an extra dose of on-field confidence.
Wenger and Arsenal are pretty fair in giving young players a chance. That said, he only has a small chance of making the Ist team given the talent pool of Arsenal.
You have really about 5 weeks to make a good impression, and maybe three weeks after that to show you belong. Looking at how he played for the Rangers, I would not be optimistic. While there is a lot of argy-bargy and Zalelum was moved off the ball a lot, the way they play in the Scottish 2nd Division is a lot different in the EPL where skill, technical ability and speed of play is more valued. and the refs do not tolerate hard play.
If he does not make the 1st team this year, because of his age, he will probably be loaned again, maybe to a Championship or newly promoted EPL side. But its during these loan periods that players are often sold, and Arsenal does not keep a lot of young players out on loan
i also wouldn’t be so hopeful. Arsenal have a few players that are better than zelalem waiting for their chance. His main competition might be Dan Crowley who is a local talent.
The US midfield may be due for a serious upgrade with the level of talent that seems to be on the verge of breaking through n Europe. Hyndman, Pusilic, Zelalem are all looking like quality players if they keep developing.
Really, did you see how they were owned by Columbia. Columbia is a good team technically and physically, but not the best in South America, let alone the world.
Columbia University? Sorry its my pet peeve.
haha. My bad. I never made that mistake. 🙂
i’m not sure they would’ve made much of a difference, but pulisic and zelalem didn’t play against colombia.
For all the negativity about not making the Olympics, I’m optimistic about the future.
GZ 19yo
Pulisic 17yo
Brooks 23yo
Miazga 20yo
Yedlin 22yo
Hyndman 20yo
Wood 23yo
Trapp 23yo
Green 20yo
All have incredible potential given the chance.
I don’t think the Olympics make or break, but this is part of being “given the chance”, and a fairly large part when you think of big games at the international level. When you miss multiple opportunities it only adds to it. I am very optimistic about the future as well but the standard needs to be set at youth levels. The U23s were dominated in every facet at home by Colombia, it wasn’t even competitive.
Let’s hope you are right. I sure hope you are right. But I know American fans tend to be simplistic in how they look at young talent, basically this- 1. Is he young? 2. Is he playing somewhere? 3. Is it in Europe? Then he’s going to be a star! So far we have seen that other countries young talent at the u-20 and u-23 level is better than ours. Maybe in a few weeks I will forget how our talented prospects looked against Colombia and be more optimistic again (1 shot on goal in 180 minutes of play, no possession at all, geeezus).
The negativity is that the players miss out on high pressure tournament soccer against the best young players in the world. That experience can only help these players as they graduate to the senior team. Also, if there was a breakout player at the Olympics on the US it gives them the exposure to be scouted by a better team. Tottenham didn’t even know about Yedlin until he played at the WC2014.
One last thing on the Olympics, they occur right at the end of July and into August when young players are usually scrapping to earn spots on first team rosters. Yes, they lost the experience of a big tournament or possible scouting, but they will get the chance to challenge for minutes at their own clubs instead. Even MLS players leaving at that time might lose their spots ahead of playoff runs.
Trapp seems to have a case of the yips right now. Couldn’t pick out a pass against Colombia and then just gives it right to Dallas to set up the tying goal on Saturday. I’d rest him the next time he is supposed to play at Toyota Park.
Russell Canouse 20 yr old
Joshua Perez 18 yr old
There seems to be more depth especially in midfield so if a couple don’t pan out which is likely we should still have a good group.
I think because JK has emphasized/placed making the Olympics as a high priority in his vision of development, not qualifying has to be seen as a big failure. We have nowhere near the available talent of a nation like Colombia, no surprise there. The shame was what happened in a shockingly uninspired CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
That said- many… very high caliber soccer nations that are top notch in development do not do well or place much emphasis on the Olympics. Ultimately, if we are going to produce talent, the vast majority of heavy lifting has to be done at the club level. It’s then up to the NT to identify and incorporate that talent into some kind of cohesive system. I think there is reason for hope- we are a little ahead of where we were in terms of sheer numbers of young quality talent. As for being efficient at tapping into it………. well……
Zelalem is still quite young-and a very tough assignment making Arsenal. Here’s to securing a place on bench and then earning some PT as a sub, in FA, early CL.
I think because JK has emphasized/placed making the Olympics as a high priority in his vision of development, not qualifying has to be seen as a big failure. We have nowhere near the available talent of a nation like Colombia, no surprise there. The shame was what happened in a shockingly uninspired CONCACAF qualifying tournament.
That said- many… very high caliber soccer nations that are top notch in development do not do well or place much emphasis on the Olympics. Ultimately, if we are going to produce talent, the vast majority of heavy lifting has to be done at the club level. It’s then up to the NT to identify and incorporate that talent into some kind of cohesive system. I think there is reason for hope- we are a little ahead of where we were in terms of sheer numbers of young quality talent. As for being efficient at tapping into it………. well……
Zelalem is still quite young-and a very tough assignment making Arsenal. Here’s to securing a place on bench and then earning some PT as a sub, in FA, early CL.
I agree with this. I personally don’t think a huge importance should be placed on the Olympics. Yes at a minimum the USA should be qualifying but its not an indicator or guarantee of future success. That being said, Klinnsman said the Confed Cup was a priority and failed. He also stated the Olympics were a big priority and failed there big time too. At this point weighing those failures with the success of the World Cup, there needs to be re-evluations and changes made. I haven’t been one to call for Klinnsman’s firing but after losing out on the Olympics again, US Soccer and Klinnsman need to decide if he remains the Technical Director or head coach. Not both. Honestly I think it would be best if he chose Tech Dir and put all his focus into that.
Unless trapp is substantially better than what he showed in that columbia game, I don’t put him anywhere near the rest of that list. But I would add Rubio Rubin, Johannson to that list too.
Colombia… damn you iphone.
Johannsson is only a year younger than Jozy
I have seen trapp now a lot and he is not actually good. He was easily one of the worst players on the field in the second leg against Columbia. Acosta is so much better than him in that position it isn’t funny.