U.S. national team fans, stop quivering. This will all work out.
On Monday the German Football Federation called up Arsenal’s Gedion Zelalem for its U-18 camp next week, even though the youngster has expressed his intent to play for the U.S. instead of the country he was born in.
[ RELATED: Zelalem ready for USMNT ]
The young midfielder is currently going through the process of becoming eligible for the U.S via FIFA’s waiver laws but the German national team seem to be having one last throw of the dice to see if Zelalem will change his mind.
Germany’s U-18 side play a pair of friendlies against France next week but even if he does accept the call up, which nobody knows if he has done, Zelalem’s eligibility to play for the U.S. would not be harmed.
Zelalem, 18, has been on the radar for U.S. soccer fans for quite some time after the former Maryland native is eligible to play for the U.S. national team due to his family moving to the USA during his younger years and his father recently applying for U.S. citizenship, which means Zelalem will also become a U.S. citizen.
The talented Arsenal product, who has already made his first team debut for the Gunners and has appeared in the UEFA Champions League this season, was born in Berlin and has played for the German national team at various youth levels.
USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has already expressed his desire to call up Zelalem for the full national team as soon as he gets the green light from FIFA.