Olivier Giroud says Gedion Zelalem has the technical quality to succeed at the highest level but reckons the young midfielder still needs to develop physically and become more aggressive.
The 17-year-old, who has two Arsenal first team appearances under his belt, secured U.S. citizenship at the start of the year and has begun the eligibility process for Jurgen Klinsmann’s national team having spent much of the last five years representing Germany, the country of his birth.
Asked about Zelalem’s potential by American publication Sports Illustrated, Giroud revealed that his young teammate is eager to learn from his more experienced peers and joked he’s lacking a bit in the muscle department.
“Out of the field, I don’t know him very well. But he looks like a guy who is really shy and really respectful. He always listens to advice from his teammates. He’s still young. He still can improve himself.
“I think he can put more aggressiveness in his game. I know he’s not a strong fellow, but he’s a fantastic footballer. Technically, he’s amazing, and he sees everything before the other players. I think he will be a really great player, but he needs game time. He needs to play more. But he has fantastic quality.
“He’s really clever. He’s got really great technique. The main thing I think we would love to improve is the impact in the physical way. He will get muscles – he will get strong. He’s still so young.
“Honestly, I don’t know [how big an impact he’ll have]. But he’s a really talented player. I think he will need to play several games at the high level internationally. He will take advantage of it, and his confidence will increase.
“I’m sure he will be an important player for the U.S. national team, especially because he is really clever and his technique is fantastic.”
Zelalem is arguably the best known of Arsenal’s next generation of midfielders, with Ainsley Maintland-Niles, who has also featured in the first team this season, Jon Toral (on loan at Brentford), Dan Crowley and soon-to-be-confirmed new boy Krystian Bielik, other under-19s who’ll be looking to make an impression on Arsene Wenger in the next year.
Given the options in front of them at the moment, they’ve got their work cut out.
Good luck to them all. Come on u gunners
Noticed zelalem loves the knock the ball with the outside of his right foot pirouette particularly in midfield. If he’s to turn into a top player I think he Needs to learn to go both ways. If I see it then surely pros see it and can find him out.
I like the kid I think a bpl loan to Swansea or any other decent footballing side next year would do him wonders
Pretty sure rosickys built his career using the outside of his right foot rather than his left. And I consider him one of the most technically gifted players we’ve ever had.
Not talking about using the outside of the foot and having no left its that little turn he does to buy himself space in the middle of the park. He always goes the same way when he does it, I’m saying any midfielder with half a brain would anticipate that and tackle him at higher levels. If he can do either (for all I know he CAN) then he’s more unpredictable.
I only see him in the u21 highlights and YouTube
http://youtu.be/Q_zpnczK3kA
After the Coventry (?) I think clips, the team in yellow, watch the clips after it to see what I’m talking about (bout a 1:20 in)
Gotta love the talent coming down the pipeline, the future looks bright indeed. COYG
If he ends up as big as Giroud that’d be handy
He’s got insane vision for his age. Reminds me of when cesc was his age; only cesc was more tenacious than he his. Thank Goodness when he makes it, they’ll be no “barca dna nonsense”.
i can’t imagine ‘LA Galaxy DNA’ would have the same pull.
No DAN, but rest assured Xavi will be in waiting to make a comment on him in due time.
*DNA
Firstly, I really hope he makes it…DNA origin and other bull s**t can come later.
he needs to take some protein shape. I hope he lives up to the hype!
he needs to take some protein shakes. I hope he lives up to the hype!
“I know he’s not a strong fellow…”
Anyone else curious about Giroud using this wording? Has he been hanging out with the Arsenal Gentleman and Sir Chips Keswick?
A limerick for Gedion.
Always thought to hell with them
Those who could doubt Ged Zelalem
Though sleight of build
He floats round midfield
Like all-seeing flotsam and jetsam.
Nope.
Here’s your coat..
Thanks man, that was heartwarming
confused why anyone would play for US over Germany….Does he think he’s not good enough for Germany in the long run?
Good luck to him. He is the first player born after Wenger took over to make it to the first team. That’s gotta sting the Professor a little bit 🙂
Likely thinks he will make it into the team earlier and would prefer to be a key contributor rather than a cog in the German machine. Also, having Klinnsman as the USA coach could have been a draw (also I think he better identifies with the USA, personally)
There’s also plenty of young German-Americans breaking through for Klinsmann’s USA team right now. Players like Julian Green, John Brooks and Fabian Johnson all have games for German youth national teams, and several more players are signed with German clubs. I can definitely see why Zelalem would want to play for them, the Americans have got something exciting going on right now.
Added to that, as Football gets bigger there his earning potential through endorsements etc could be phenomenal.
Treble winning side 2022:
Martinez
Bellerin Chambers Hayden Ormonde-Otterwill
Bielik Zelalem
Gnabry Crowley The Ox (c)
Sanogo
by 2022 we will have the technology to re-animate Wilf Copping who will savage opposing forwards with a ferocity that makes Keown’s jump at Horseface look like a my little pony love-in
We’ll all have hoverboards so we won’t care!
Bielik + Zelalem at the under 21 or under 19 level would be exciting to watch
Just don’t follow Giroud’s “:overly” physical headbutts
He needs to start getting Dench with Ozil.