Philadelphia - Arsenal's 18-year-old German-born midfielder Gedion Zelalem will go straight into the U.S. national team if FIFA grant him eligibility, US coach Jurgen Klinsmann told reporters on Thursday.
Zelalem was born in Berlin and played for Germany at youth level and was also eligible to play for Ethiopia through his parents.
However the player has expressed a desire to play for the United States and gained US citizenship in December, opening the door to a potential switch pending permission from the world governing body.