Gedion Zelalem is set to feature for Arsenal tonight in the FA Cup match against Coventry City. And if he does an extraordinary pub quiz question could occur and more importantly it would mark a historical moment for the youngster and the club.
If Arsène Wenger plays Zelalem tonight it would mean the 16-year-old would become the first Arsenal player to play for Wenger who was born after he was appointed as manager in September 1996.
Zelalem was born four months later in January 1997 but is set to make his competitive debut tonight at the Emirates.
The Independent claim he will sign his first professional contract with the club on Sunday, which is his 17th birthday, and also quoted some Arsenal players views on the German born midfielder.
Carl Jenkinson said: “So many of the young players impress me but if I had to choose one it would be Gedion.
“He is very gifted on the ball, he is a midfielder that it is difficult to get the ball off, he has great balance and good feet and great vision.”
Whilst Jack Wilshere added after he featured in some pre-season matches in the Far East: “He played a few passes through that I don’t know how he saw them to be honest.”
There is no doubt Zelalem is extremely highly rated by the club and an excellent article published by the Guardian detailed many anecdotes which demonstrate the high regard he is held in.
He has already been compared to Cesc Fàbregas and the famous story about Wenger first locking eyes on the youngster is fantastic.
During Zelalem’s Arsenal trial, Wenger watched the youngster for a couple of minutes before taking the 16-year-olds father to one side and claiming: “Your son will play for Arsenal.” As usual he wasn’t wrong.
Born in Germany, raised in America between nine and 16 and with Ethiopian roots through his parents there is no shortage of countries looking to secure his international services. England will probably join the queue as well.
A fabulous comparison from a youth coach in America named Matt Pilkington, who helped develop Zelalem, is “he dribbles like Iniesta and he passes like Xavi,” and the final attachment to that quote was “I’ve been wary about saying it. I don’t worry now.”
He doesn’t worry because now everybody knows Zelalem’s talent. He also talked about the first time he saw the young Ethiopian, who he coached for over a year.
“I can remember it to this day… this little Ethiopian kid, and he was just doing stuff on the ball. Futsal is five-on-five and on a small court, where there basically isn’t much space but he had so much time and space.
“It was the little moves, the awareness. Also, people have talked about his weight of pass but what you haven’t seen yet is his dribbling ability. He can sail past guys at pace. He can do stuff that is just mesmeric.”
Zelalem is a German national but there is complication with the youngster and if he were to apply for a US passport it could mean he wouldn’t be able to continue in England unless he was granted a work permit, which wouldn’t be certain. Those issues for the time being aren’t serious ones until he considers his international team but he does see himself as an American.
The Guardian article by David Hytner has a fantastic penultimate paragraph about why the German is due to commit to Arsenal.
“He chose Arsenal for a reason in the first place and none of his feelings towards them have changed. Wenger fast-tracked him to the under-21 team last season; he took him on tour and he has given him a first-team number. Arsenal have put in the effort since he was 14. They have been correct and diligent. They have treated his family well.”
Inevitably with this hype you set somebody up for disappointment, for every Fàbregas and Wilshere there is a Fran Mérida but it does seem this kid is the real deal. We may get a glimpse of the future tonight, if you do take it in because you will be talking about Gedion Zelalem for decades to come.
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