Arsenal youngster Gedion Zelalem could make his debut for the Under-21 side on Monday night after receiving international clearance late last week.

The 16-year-old was brought to the club for a two-week trial last season having been spotted playing in North America where he was representing his local high school.

Arsene Wenger
Arsene Wenger has always placed a huge emphasis on promoting from the academy. [Reuters]

Zelalem was handed a place in the Arsenal academy and his family made the decision to move to London in order for the midfielder to try and pursue a career as a professional footballer.

A German citizen of Ethiopian descent, Zelalem has represented Germany at Under-15 and previously made such an impact on his former coach Mike Williams that he predicted the midfielder would be playing in the Arsenal first team within three years.

"He's able to set the tempo like none other," Williams told Bleacher Report. "We will see Gedion in Arsenal's first team three years from now. He's got a great future."

The Mirror reports that Zelalem is being compared with Cesc Fabregas who also joined the Arsenal academy as a teenager and quickly demonstrated his quality by forcing his way into the first team at the tender age of 16.

The youngster revealed via Twitter last week that his international clearance had come through and that he was hoping to make his debut for the Under-21's when they play Liverpool on Monday night.

"My clearance has come through by the way. Hopefully making my debut v Liverpool 21s on Monday! #TuneIn," tweeted Zelalem.

Arsenal are in the Elite Group in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League and have so far won just two of their nine fixtures as they currently lie in fifth place, some 15 points behind runaway leaders Tottenham.

Should Zelalem make his debut for the Under-21 side then he would be following in the footsteps of his fellow German midfielders Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld who have both made a significant impact in the youth side this season, and have been rewarded with full debuts in the Premier League.