Arsenal USMNT starlet Gedion Zelalem joins Rangers on loan until January

Arsenal starlet Gedion Zelalem has joined Rangers on loan until January, the club have confirmed. The 18-year-old midfielder trained with Mark Warburton's side for the first time on 24 August and is in line to make his debut against Aidrie on Wednesday.

"It is nice to have him on board and a lot of work has been done," Warburton told Rangers' official website. "I am thankful to some really good people at Arsenal and the work done by people here at Rangers. There is no doubt he is a very talented young player and I am sure he will have an impact for us."

Zelalem joined Arsenal as a 16 year old and has so far made two senior appearances for the first team. His move to the Scottish Championship is his first spell away from the club, but Arsene Wenger believes it is a vital step the USA Under-20 international must take.

"It is a good move for these players because you know there is a gap between the under-21s and the Premier League that all the clubs try to sort out now in different ways," Wenger told Arsenal Player.

"Most of the time it is to give them competition at an in-between level, which gives them responsibility to turn up in a first tean and to stand up for the results and their mistakes. I would say it is post-education to get them ready to play competitive games in the Premier League."

Zelalem will join up with two other North London young bucks at Ibrox this season, with Tottenham Hotspur pair Dominic Ball and Nathan Oduwa having also joined the club on loan spells.