Former Gunner Gedion Zelalem has joined FC Den Bosch, linking up with Arsenal loanee Nikolaj Moller and former scout Yousuf Sajjad.

On transfer deadline day, FC Den Bosch announced the signing of ex-Arsenal academy midfielder Gedion Zelalem on a contract to 2024, with an option to extend by a further year.

Den Bosch already have a couple of connections to the Arsenal academy, with Nikolaj Moller on loan with the club and Yousuf Sajjad working as their technical director.

Sajjad had previously operated as a scout with Arsenal, involved in bringing the likes of Lino Sousa, Reuell Walters, and Salah-Eddine Oulad M’hand to the club.

Moving on at the end of 2022, this was Sajjad’s first transfer window with his new club.

Of the move to sign Zelalem, Sajjad said: “We wanted to add a little more depth to the midfield choices. Gedion is a player that adds quality and experience in several areas.

“Gedion has already played in the Netherlands when he was loaned out by Arsenal at a young age. From that point on he has continued to develop himself as a person and as a player.”

Zelalem has already spent some time with Den Bosch as a triallist, but he’ll now get going with his new club in earnest.

Arsenal fans will remember Zelalem from his impressive appearances in the pre-season tour of 2013, and his subsequent competitive games against Coventry City and Galatasaray in 2014.

Now 26, Zelalem has spent time with Rangers, VVV-Venlo, Sporting Kansas City, and New York City FC on the way to Den Bosch.

It will be nice to see the Arsenal youth of past and present linking up, assuming Moller and Zelalem get some games together in the second half of the season.