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Gedion Zelalem

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Gedion Zelalem
Personal information
Full name Gedion Zelalem
Date of birth (1997-01-26) 26 January 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Berlin, Germany[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 58
Youth career
Hertha BSC
MSC United
Bethesda Soccer Club
Olney Rangers
2013– Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014– Arsenal 0 (0)
International career‡
2012 Germany U15 2 (0)
2012–2013 Germany U16 8 (0)
2013– Germany U17 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:42, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:42, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

Gedion Zelalem (born 26 January 1997) is a German footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Arsenal. He has drawn praise for several strong performances in youth matches and in the senior team's tour of Asia in July 2013.

Zelalem is eligible to play internationally for Germany, Ethiopia and the United States, and has so far made two appearances for Germany's under-15 team and eight for their under-16 team.

Club career

Youth career

Zelalem started playing football at the age of five and grew up in Germany playing for Bundesliga side Hertha BSC's academy. He moved to the United States in 2006. Zelalem continued his development playing for MSC United and Bethesda Soccer Club, before joining the club team Olney Rangers and the varsity team at Walter Johnson High School.[3] Arsenal scout Daniel Karbassiyoon discovered Zelalem playing for Olney Rangers during a Dallas Cup match. After contacting his coaches, Zelalem was flown to London for summer training with the Arsenal youth academy; following the end of this camp, he was offered a permanent place in the Academy.[3]

Arsenal

Zelalem started out playing in Arsenal's under-16s squad, before graduating into the under-21s in April 2013.[4] His debut for the under-21 side came against Liverpool U21 that month, but was unable to prevent Arsenal slipping to a 3–2 defeat at Anfield; however, he drew praise for his performance.[5] He made his second appearance for the side less than a week later in a 3–2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers U21, once again drawing praise for his performance.[6]

In July 2013, Zelalem was included in Arsenal's 24-man squad for their Asian tour.[7] Although regarded as a surprise inclusion, strong performances against an Indonesia Dream Team, the Vietnam national team and Japanese side Nagoya Grampus led to him being touted as a future star, and being compared favourably to Cesc Fàbregas.[8][9][10]

Following these strong performances, Zelalem stated that he hoped to make a few appearances during the 2013–14 season.[11] He remained in the team for the Emirates Cup match against Galatasaray on 4 August, but was unable to keep Arsenal from sliding to a 2–1 defeat.[12] Zelalem was selected on the bench in Arsenal's second Premier League game of the season, a 3–1 victory over Fulham on 24 August, but did not make an appearance.[13] However, on 10 September, Zelalem announced on Twitter that he had sustained an injury that would keep him out of action for up to two months.[14] Although he announced his return to training in late October, Arsène Wenger confirmed that he would not be fit enough for the League Cup match against Chelsea on 29 October, contrary to rumour.[15] He returned to action for Arsenal's youth side a week later in a UEFA Youth League fixture against Borussia Dortmund on 6 November, playing the entire match in a 2–2 draw.[16]

On 24 January 2014, the German made his debut with Arsenal's senior squad, coming on as a substitute for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 71st minute of their 4–0 home FA Cup victory against Coventry City.[17], becoming the first player born after Wenger took over the role as Arsenal manager to play for the club.

On 18 March 2014, Zelalem signed a new contract extension with the Gunners.[18]

Career statistics

As of match played 24 January 2014.
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2013–14[19] Premier League 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

International career

Zelalem initially trained with the under-15 side of the United States, but was unable to play in matches due to only being classified as a permanent resident, and not a citizen.[20] Instead, he played for Germany's under-15 and under-16 sides, making two appearances for the under-15s and eight appearances for the under-16s.[21] In October 2013, Ethiopia's coach Sewnet Bishaw and Ethiopian foreign minister Adhanom Tedros stated that they hoped Zelalem would opt to play for Ethiopia.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Gedion Zelalem". Arsenal FC. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. ^ 58 Gedion Zelalem. "Gedion Zelalem, Arsenal midfielder player profile | Barclays Premier League". Premierleague.com. Retrieved 18 February 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Parisa Davoodi "Walter Johnson freshman to join Arsenal’s amateur program" The Black & White, Bethesda, Maryland, 10 November 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  4. ^ "8. Gedion Zelalem". Jeorge Bird's Arsenal Youth. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  5. ^ Bird, Jeorge (11 April 2013). "Zelalem: Why Arsenal's German Youngster Will Be The Next Fabregas". Sabotage Times. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  6. ^ Coombs, Dan (15 April 2013). "Zelalem plays another 90 minutes as Arsenal's u-21s win". Here is the City Sport. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Arsenal name 24-man squad for Asia Tour". Arsenal F.C. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  8. ^ "No Longer a Secret: Gedion Zelalem Shines for Arsenal". World Soccer Talk. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  9. ^ Magnan, Andrew (22 July 2013). "Starlet Gedion Zelalem excelling on Arsenal tour". ESPN FC Blog. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  10. ^ Cordova, William (25 July 2013). "Gedion Zelalem is Arsenal's latest teenage prodigy". GiveMeSport. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  11. ^ Back, Adrian (6 August 2013). "Arsenal's Latest Midfield Prodigy Gedion Zelalem on His Ambitions for Next Season". International Business Times UK – Sports & Stars. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  12. ^ Clarke, Richard (4 August 2013). "Arsenal 1–2 Galatasaray – Match report". Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  13. ^ Phillips, Owen (24 August 2013). "Fulham 1–3 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  14. ^ "Zelalem ruled out for eight weeks". Arseblog News. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  15. ^ Haine, Will (28 October 2013). "Arsenal: Zelalem struggling with injury". GiveMeSport. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  16. ^ Coombs, Dan (8 November 2013). "Arsenal wonderkid Gedion Zelalem makes injury comeback as a number 10". Here is the City Sport. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  17. ^ MacAree, Graham (24 January 2014). "Arsenal vs. Coventry City: Final score 4-0, Podolski brace sees Gunners through". SBNation. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Cazorla, Ramsey, Zelalem sign contracts". Arsenal FC. 18 March 2014.
  19. ^ "Games played by Gedion Zelalem in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  20. ^ Snyder, Matthew (13 August 2012). "Arsenal: Meet Gedion Zelalem, the Newest Star to Join the Club's Academy". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  21. ^ "National team player Gedion Zelalem". Deutscher Fussball-Bund.
  22. ^ "Gedion Zelalem: Ethiopia keen on Arsenal teenager". BBC Sport. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.

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