Gedion Zelalem has been linked with a loan move to Dutch side VVV Venlo.
The 19 year old has found it tough to get any playing time this season, bar two substitute appearances in the EFL Cup.
Having enjoyed regular football last season with a loan to Rangers, it’s been something of a step back for the talented midfielder.
VVV play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, and if he went there he’d join the growing Arsenal contingent over there.
Nigerian Kelechi Nwakali is at MVV Maastricht, which sees him playing in the second tier of Dutch football with fellow Arsenal man Stefan O’Connor.
Tarifi Moore is currently on a season long loan with Utrecht, while Dan Crowley joined Go Ahead Eagles earlier this month.
More on this when it happens.
Isn’t his contract up in the summer? If he doesn’t do well we’ll release him. If he does well then he’ll get a good contract somewhere else with the promise of regular first team football. Either way, I reckon he’s gone. May sound negative but it’s probably the harsh reality. Toral is probably in a similar situation, unfortunately.
Sadly, that’s probably true. He hasn’t really lived up to the initial hype.
Appears he signed an extension at the weekend before agreeing loan to VVV Venlo.
I think we should sell these players cheap with buyback clauses . We don’t need to be making money off of them right now, but if there’s one player that makes it out of 5 that we insert a buyback clause for, that will make us more money than outright sale prices at this level in their career. Carlos vela being the prime example.
Agree completely, but I don’t know if there’s any other case as it was with Vela. Lansbury? Afobe?
Gnabry.
Xxxcellent news
I thought you were doing a gunner update of the stutter rap there.
No fans of Morris Minor and the Majors on here then? Duly noted
Surprised to hear this. The Dutch second tier is not very good to say at least and definitely a step down from Rangers. And he’s coming into a team that are the prime title contenders, who are on a quite a roll. It’ll be hard for him to immediately grab his place.
Can´t belive this, we saw him bursting through in an pre season tour a couple of years ago and everytime he was on the pitch he Öziled passes to our strikers like a world class player.
Flash forward to the present and he´s going to the 2:nd league in Holland?
Strange things will happen..
I for one i am stumped as to why Zelalem is struggling to break through?…..teen prodigy, pace, tricks, passing vision, bags of talent, lots of hype at both club and national level, yet, as at the last time i saw him play for the club he is nowhere near Arsenal first team. why? is it confidence, physical development, mental strength, late developer?….something is still missing, but he is still young enough to turn it around.
I guess just goes to show raw natural talent is not enough to make it at the top end in football.
You’d think with his skillset, he’d be a bit closer to the first team. His technical ability is at a very high level, probably is lacking mentally and physically. It’s a shame though. I still think he has the ability to make it here. Hope he gets an extension before he goes on loan
Let’s be honest, the wrong youth (Iwobi) got an opportunity that should’ve went to the more talented Zelalem.
Oh well….wrong youth lol. Iwobi grabbed his chance with both hands, no way he interfered with Zelalem’s progress. When Zelalem is ready we will know. For now, he could do with another loan spell. There’s still time for him to make it at Arsenal if all the stars choose to align.