Gedion Zelalem is a seventeen year old teenager of Ethiopian descent who was born in Germany but grew up in the United States. When someone that young is already playing professional football, it is usually because he is naturally talented and performs at another level. Zelalem is a very technical player, with a lot of first touch and vision. Many have compared Zelalem to the former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, who now plays for Arsenal’s city rivals Chelsea.
Zelalem made his UEFA Champions League yesterday when he was subbed in against Galatasaray at the beginning of the second half. The last time Zelalem had action with the first team was this past summer during the Emirates Cup and in a friendly game against New York Red Bulls. As far as an official competitive game, the last time he played was back in January in an FA Cup match against Coventry. Yesterday, Arsenal was up 3-0 by half-time, and with the squad hit by injuries and having already qualified, Arsene Wenger put several young talents onto the field.
Zelalem looked confident with his touches in the midfield. There were a few balls given away, but he will improve on his possession and accuracy as he gets more minutes.
At the international level, Zelalem has played with the U-17 Germany squad but has not committed to them. There are rumors that he might commit to the U.S. Men’s National Team. The U.S. plays an important role on Zelalem’s life as he was discovered in Washington, DC. Zelalem lived in the suburbs of Washington for several years, where he attended Walter Johnson High School and played for Bethesda-Olney Soccer Club.
It was during this time that Arsenal’s North American scout and former Arsenal player Danny Karbassiyoon first spotted him and took him to London after alerting the club to his potential. Zelalem signed a contract earlier this year with Arsenal and has left the development of his talents in the hands of one of the best youth programs in the last decade.
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