Gedion Zelalem says his future will be decided after the US tour with Arsenal to decide whether or not he goes out on loan again.
The teenage midfielder spent last season on loan in Scotland with Rangers, and given the plethora of midfield options available to Arsene Wenger, chances are he’ll play his football elsewhere next season to continue his development.
Speaking from the Arsenal training base in San Jose, Zelalem said, “I’m just trying to train hard every day and then see what comes. After the tour, I’ll sit down with the boss and see what’s best for my development.”
And he feels like the season at Ibrox has done him a lot of good.
“It helped me a lot playing in front of 50,000 every week,” he said.
“Just being a first-team player. The big media around Scotland is massive as well. I learned a lot. On the pitch as well, to play quicker and it helped me physically.”
Obviously there’s keen in interest in Zelalem stateside after his decision to opt for the US national team, and Arsene Wenger was asked about his potential, and believes that he’s got what it takes but lacks a bit physically at the moment.
“”He might be a bit longer to mature because he is a little bit behind on the body structure,” Wenger said of the wiry Zelalem. “But I’m sure he will be a great player who matures maybe a bit slowly physically.
“Overall, I’m convinced that he’ll have a great career.”
“…but lacks a bit physically at the moment.”
Blogs, you’ve been doing this so long you’ve even picked up Arsene’s syntax!
On a side note, please bring the happy poos back into the poo-o-meter. They brightened my day every time I read a shitty transfer story.
I really hope he stays at the club. If he’s not physical enough to play in the PL yet then the same will be true for the Championship, Scottish PL etc. He’ll learn more training with Ozil and Cazorla every day than he will in 20 championship sub appearances
I think it works differently – the pressure and intensity of competitive matches cannot be fully replicated in training.
I didn’t make it clearly but my point was he’s unlikely to start many games if even Wenger considers him too slight, so he will be mostly making sub appearances or not playing even if he drops down a level, since championship clubs favour physicality. Obviously if he was playing each week it would be better, but I’d prefer he stayed at arsenal as a cup player than went to a lower league as a sub/bit part player
But he would be playing every week for a championship club.
Most of our loaned players get a handful of games at best in the Championship. Very few get a regular starting spot.
He got a good few games for Rangers last season in a very physical league. Given that toughening up is still priority I’d be inclined to send him back. After promotion back to SPL Rangers will no doubt look to press for the title, could be good experience. A few old firm games too. M
I feel positives for the likes of Zelalem, Akpom, Chambers, Holding, Sanogo, and so on. I think they will contribute immensely in the PL2
I think what he needs is to be on a bodybuilding diet and regimen for a good year. He’ll never bulk up to a real bodybuilder and that’s fine because he doesn’t need to he’s a footballer but that’s just emphasizing the focus he needs to put on developing his physique between now and next summer. Otherwise he might end up like Thomas Eisfeld … another talented rosickyesque type of player who didn’t make it because of his physique
Hope he goes out loan to the Championship, he’ll get minutes and hopefully bulk up there. It’s an even bigger slog there than it is in the Premier League so that should improve him as well.
There is a lot of competition in midfield, as much as I want him to stay, he needs to be playing regular football week in week out. He needs to bulk up as well and going on loan may not be a bad thing for him at this moment in time.
Go back to Ibrox Mr Zelalem
Can’t help but compare him with Mesut. Zel-Man’s movement on the pitch is scary alike Özil’s. Think the kid’s got a good future, needs to play regularly though, starting this season.
Zelalem is too bloody weak on the pitch, he needs to beef-up and do some sprinters training.
Send him to the Spanish league.
With his style, I can see him thriving and not come back.
I have not been so excited about a young player since I first saw Fabregas. I first saw Zelalem 2 years ago now and was amazed. I hope he develops. I hope he stays at Arsenal for the long term. I hope he finds the right place this season for the next step in his development. I think a loan to Bournemouth would be a good one for him. Whatever the boss and he decide, I hope it works out for him
Maybe Arsenal could do with a Dutch feeder club, like Chelsea have. A season or two in Vitesse or Zwolle could do a lot of our young talents some good. It’s a bit surprising that Arsenal aren’t linked with a French club in such a way already. AS Nancy would be a good option since Wenger probably still has good ties there.
Well FC Lorient is listed as Arsenals feeder club on Football Manager which is very accurate on things like that.
In practice it also means we get first dibs on any player from Lorient, hence the bid for Guerrero
I think we’ve been burnt by the whole Beveren situation a bit (the clubs finances were questioned, shady dealings, they dissolved a few years after the Arsenal link).
I agree though, an official link up with another club would be good from a football perspective.
Despite the club’s style of play (albeit against opposition that were far below him ability-wise) suiting and him developing well mentally, he did not see the same growth physically at Rangers or by the looks of it in the off-season, which is pretty disappointing.
I’d have liked to have see him back at Ibrox given the slightly higher level of the SPL, but a Championship loan would be wise if there’s a suitable taker, cause it’s time to kick on for him.
He needs to bulk up a bit but Mahrez has proven that you can be slight and still smash the Prem. Just needs to work on getting stronger on the ball rather than becoming a beefcake.
Mahrez is a lot sturdier than he looks. Zelalem is paper-thin and looks like a slight gust of wind can blow him away at any time.
I appreciate Mahrez is strong. He’s also seven years older than GZ, which makes a big difference. There’s no reason why GZ can’t emulate Mahrez and become strong without becoming a hulk either. He’s 19 so he’s got time on his side.
He won’t make it.
Your face won’t make it.
On your bike, Mike. Maybe we should have bought 34yo Zealem/Zlatan instead. For a shitload of money. Bring on the young guns. We are the Arsenal
More Arsenal fans making predictions. He won’t make it just like Coquelin, Bellerin and Iwobi or Campbell even because Dick Law of the jungle won’t make it. There is still one midfield position open IMO. A(ttacking)Mid – Ozil, Ramsey C(entral)Mid – Santi, Jack D(efensive)Mid – Granit Coquelin U(tility)Mid – Elneny (?) Zelalem or Jeff or Bielik may get the nod for an open spot at least till January before going on loan so they can gain valuable experience with the first team in the early rounds of the FA cup or the lesser league cup. Of the 3, Bielik looks… Read more »
Creative player, good on the ball, gonna be a top talent just needs to smash the gym and learn joe to tackle.
FEED HIM! And low reps/high weight. We’ve got some great “magerquark” here in Germany we could send over 😉 PROTEIN!
It’s difficult to train with intensity and then hit the gym afterwards. And I don’t think the club are ready for a doping scandal. Unfortunately the only way he’s gonna get big (and fast) is if he were to injure himself.
Worked for Mesut! Homie looked swole after doing his knee.
http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article4960016.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Arsenal-v-Stoke-City-Premier-League.jpg
Xavi and Pirlo were in their mid 20’s when they started to grab headlines.
From the little I’ve seen, Gedion needs to speed his game up a lot. He can pick amazing passes when he got the time but his make/break issue now is if he’s able to learn to play with players closing him down within a second.
It doesn’t sound like Arsene Wenger sees him performing in the first team any time soon if his comments on the situation are anything to go by..