Gedion Zelalem Nets Winner for Arsenal's U-21 Squad; Nearing Loan To Rangers?

Gedion Zelalem scored the winner for Arsenal’s U-21 team recent match against the Fulham U-21s. The movement on and off the ball during the sequence from the 18-year-old American is certainly worth watching (and getting excited about). Plus, anytime there’s an American playing at a club like Arsenal it creates buzz on this side of the Atlantic.

Zelalem is still only 18 so it could take some time before he breaks into the Arsenal first-team squad or receives steady minutes. Judging on plays like this, Zelalem’s first-touch passing certainly fits into the Arsene Wenger philosophy.

Reports on Tuesday linked Zelalem to a season-long loan to Rangers in the Scottish second division, where he’d receive ample playing time as the famed club tries to complete to long climb back to the Scottish Premier League following a financial-based relegation in 2012. DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra, Alejandro Bedoya and Claudio Reyna, all American internationals, have previously played at the Glasgow-based club.

The Guardian reports Zelalem will go to Rangers until January, with an option to extend it for the full season. The level of play in Scotland could be debated, but it’s hard to argue with the chance to play consistent minutes.

From an United States Soccer standpoint it bears watching if Zelalem is called into the squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in October. Zelalem played for the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup after gaining citizenship last December. The Olympics is basically a U-23 event and he U.S. missed out on the London Olympic tournament, so there will be more pressure than usual for the team to qualify for Rio next summer.