Gedion Zelalem has once again found himself looking for a new club. After bouncing around several teams in Europe and America, the midfielder joined Dutch side Den Bosch in January 2023. While things seemed to be going well for the former top prospect, the second-tiered team has now parted ways with Zelalem.
“Yesterday we reached an agreement with Gedion to terminate his contract,” stated Den Bosch technical director Bernard Schuiteman. “That is the best for him and for FC Den Bosch, because Gedion did not fit into our plans for the A-selection. It is a pity because under the previous technical management, his contract was extended in the meantime, and he was one of the intended key players for the future.”
“With new people come new ideas and in Gedion’s position that has led to different choices. That is a pity from a human point of view, but Gedion, who has been around professional football for a long time, knows how it works.”
“He has also dealt with this disappointing situation in an extremely professional manner,” continued the exec. “A footballer must train at a level with other footballers and play matches. We hope that Gedion will soon get that chance in a team where he fits better. We wish him every success and thank him for his commitment to FC Den Bosch.”
Zelalem was once seen as one of the top midfield prospects in the sport. He was previously compared to former Spanish star Cesc Fabregas while with Arsenal. The Maryland native initially joined the Gunners at the age of 16 after a successful trial.
Although having only been with the Arsenal youth setup for just a few months, Zelalem was included in the team’s senior preseason tour in 2013. It was during these friendly fixtures across Asia that fans and pundits began linking the youngster with Fabregas.
After dealing with multiple minor injuries, Zelalem finally made his senior Arsenal debut in January 2014. The midfielder entered an FA Cup matchup with Coventry City as a second-half substitute for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Arsenal went on to win the game by a scoreline of 4-0.
While hopes were certainly high for Zelalem, he never appeared in a Premier League game for the Gunners. The former teen prospect eventually made temporary loan moves to Rangers and VVV-Venlo between 2015 and 2017. A serious knee injury while at the Dutch club, however, ultimately derailed his career. The American spent more than a year on the sidelines due to the issue.
Zelalem eventually moved back to America to join Sporting Kansas City on a free transfer in 2019. He later signed on with fellow Major League Soccer side New York City FC a year later. Nevertheless, another significant knee injury hampered the midfielder soon after joining his new team. In total, Zelalem only featured in 27 MLS matches during pieces of four different seasons.
The American later told The Athletic that he was not himself “for two or three years” following the ACL injury while with Arsenal. Along with the serious personal setback, Zelalem also lost his sister in a car accident in July 2018. This happened to come as he was recovering from the injury.
Fans will certainly hope that the midfielder can find a new club quickly to get his career back on track. After all, the once highly-rated midfielder is still just 27. Injuries are unfortunately part of the sport, but one can only wonder how high Zelalem could have reached without the major knee problems.
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