Gedion Zelalem completes loan move to Rangers FC
By Rob Usry@RobUsry Aug 23, 2015, 11:00am PDT
Share All sharing options for: Gedion Zelalem completes loan move to Rangers FC
Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images
As we learned on Tuesday, Arsenal were close to loaning United States youngster Gedion Zelalem to the famed Rangers FC of Scotland. Today the move has been made official after the club's manager Mark Warburton confirmed to the Daily Record.
According to The Guardian, the loan is until January with an option to extend it for the whole season. It's not known which club holds the option or if it's mutual.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rangers can today confirm the signing of <a href="https://twitter.com/Arsenal">@Arsenal</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ussoccer">@ussoccer</a> youngster Gedion Zelalem on a loan deal until January <a href="http://t.co/Y9b5HSAWeq">pic.twitter.com/Y9b5HSAWeq</a></p>&mdash; Rangers FC (@RangersFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RangersFC/status/635821424331083777">August 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
Zelalem joins Tottenham Hotspur prospects Dominic Ball and Nathan Oduwa at Ibrox after the duo also joined on loan earlier in the transfer window.
One of the biggest criticisms of the 18-year-old's game has been his overall strength on and off the ball. Scottish soccer is known for being a rough and tumble style that will test the physical side of a player's game. A season with Rangers should go a long way in toughening up the talented midfielder.
A concern that this loan presents is that Rangers play in the the second-division of the Scottish league setup. It is not a very high quality league, and one has to wonder if Zelalem could have been handed a better situation. Maybe Arsenal explored other options, but this was the best fit. Arsene Wenger is great at developing young talent, we should feel okay that he's chosen the best possible destination for Zelalem.