Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger loves continuity, so the news of two influential first team players and one of the club’s most promising youngsters, signing new deals probably came as no surprise to many.
Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla have both signed new long-term contracts at the Emirates Stadium, while former Maryland native Gedion Zelalem has signed a new deal with the Gunners.
Zelalem, just 17, lived in the U.S. during his formative years and the German born teenager, whose parents hail from Ethiopia, is fast becoming the hottest young property talked about in Premier League circles. He already made his professional debut against Coventry in the FA Cup earlier this season, and the former Bethesda Soccer Club star is eager to keep impressing at the Emirates.
He only joined Arsenal last January but Zelalem has already impressed Wenger enough to seal his first professional contract, and this is what Arsenal’s French manager had to say about the starlet, plus getting Ramsey and Cazorla to stay on board.
“We are very pleased that Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Gedion Zelalem have committed their futures to the club,” Wenger said. “Cazorla and Ramsey are absolutely key players for us, and this news is a boost to the whole club. Gedion is very young of course, but he has shown already that he has fantastic promise, and we all look forward to his development with us.”
U.S national team fans are getting excited about the possibility of Zelalem representing the USMNT one day. But as PST’s Richard Farley reported, the German youth international could tie himself to Germany if he plays in their U-17 qualifying opener on March 26 against Georgia. Only dual citizens, which Zelalem is not despite living in the Maryland area for over six years, can make a one-time switch to play for the U.S. at senior level.
That news aside, Wenger mentioned Zelalem has shown fantastic promise. What this contract gives Zelalem is the chance to have it nurtured at one of the best club’s for developing young talent in the PL, if not Europe. It might not be too long before we see him break into the first team, as the Gunners invest in three midfielders. Two for the present, one for the future.
