Arsenal's Youngsters: Gedion Zelalem

For the third article in my 'Arsenal's Youngster's' series, I just want to first follow up from my last post in this series where I focused a bit on Jon Toral. Since then he's earned rave reviews about his future and is showing how much of a special talent he is. Providing he stays clear of injury, he should develop well this season. Since he's returned from injury he has scored 4 goals and also assisted 4, backing up my points from the last post indicating how much of a threat he is going forward and in front of goal. I fully expect to see him fighting for a place in the Cup competitions come next season.

For this article though, I'll be focusing on another one of our talented players from our crop of midfielders in the form of Gedion Zelalem. He is only sixteen years of age which is quite incredible. He's a man that recently just passed his GCSE's. I'm also 16 and have also just done my GCSE's a few months back. That just puts things into context at how good Zelalem is. Scout Danny Karbassiyoon, a former player before having to retire through injury, is the man to thank for this wonderful player's discovery. Karbassiyoon spotted him playing for Olney Rovers over in America and a deal was agreed in principle for him to join the Gunners when he turned 16 in January of 2013. The gifted midfielder is eligible to play for 3 nations. Germany, the country he was born in, Ethiopia, the country of his father, and finally the United states due to him being raised there when he was growing up.

Gedion Zelalem is one of Arsenal's brightest young talents

Gedion is, according to many people at Arsenal, the biggest thing at the club since a certain Cesc Fabregas. That is clear to see, his passing is absolutely brilliant and his vision and the weight of passes in which he plays through are comparative as to that of Cesc himself. He is incredibly assured on the ball for someone that is so young, his play would suggest he's been playing at a high level all his life though. Zelalem played a few times last season and although initially struggling on a physical level, his passing shone out. In the process he earned the praise of team mate Chuba Akpom who said he was the best player he'd played with up to that point in his career.

This season though has been quite a painful one for the German. He's only played a solitary one game in an U18 fixture before missing the rest of season with injury. He's starting to come back now though which is encouraging news. He played quite a big role on the club's pre-season tour of Asia. He played in every single game and had an impact on most occasions. He provided an assist for a Theo Walcott goal against Nagoya before playing a part in Akpom's second goal against Vietnam. Zelalem was to then play his first senior game at the Emirates during the Emirates Cup where he was an unused sub against Napoli and then a used one against Galatasaray. Finally he was also a sub when we thoroughly beat Man City in our final game before the new season.

How good he'll be when he matures only time will tell. If his performances so far and the high regards that are held throughout the club are anything to go by then this young man will become a star of the future. The fact that he was named on the bench against Tottenham outlines the fact that Wenger holds him in such high regard. He is a hugely gifted player and it will be very exciting to see how far and well his career goes. Providing anything traumatic doesn't happen, Gedion Zelalem will be a first team player at the club for years to come.


                        Video of Zelalem's performance against Nagoya in pre-season: