Ex-Arsenal midfielder Gedion Zelalem has been released by FC Den Bosch in the second tier of the Netherlands and, at the age of 27, finds his career at yet another crossroads
The 27-year-old midfielder joined Den Bosch in January 2023 and made 38 appearances for the club before they parted ways. “Yesterday we reached an agreement with Gedion to terminate his contract,” said club 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.
“That 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. 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 joined Arsenal in 2013 as a teenager and was taken on a first-team pre-season tour by Arsene Wenger. He was highly regarded by the club, but ended up only making four appearances, with loans at Rangers and VVV-Venlo followed by a serious knee injury in 2017 which proved a turning point.
“I still think if I hadn’t got my anterior cruciate ligament injury, things would have gone differently at Arsenal, even though I had stagnated and gone out on loan,” Zelalem told The Athletic in February. “I was out for six months, but then I needed another surgery and was out for over 400 days. The worst part was I was nowhere near myself for two or three years.
