U.S. Abroad: Rubin headed to Silkeborg, Zelalem to VVV

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jan 31, 2017

Rubio Rubin, whose start to his pro career in the Netherlands began so promisingly in 2014, has been transferred from FC Utrecht to Danish club Silkeborg. Arsenal loaned Gedion Zelalem to Dutch second division leader VVV Venlo for the rest of the season.

Rubio was called up to the U.S. national team at the age of 18, just two weeks after debuting for Utrecht. He scored three goals in 28 games for Utrecht in 2014-15. But a foot injury set him back in 2015-16, and he missed almost six months. He started three games this season for the Utrecht, but none since August.

Rubio, the USA's main striker at the 2015 Under-20 World Cup, joins Silkeborg, which is 10th in the 12-team Superliga at the winter break. He resumes its 2016-17 season in February.

Zelalem, another starter on the 2015 U.S. U-20 World Cup team, made two appearances as a sub for Arsenal in the EPL Cup after returning to the London club after spending the 2015-16 season on loan at Rangers.

2017 January Moves (U.S. in Europe):
POS. PLAYER (NEW TEAM < OLD TEAM)
M Gboly Ariyibi (Nottingham Forest/ENG D2 < Chesterfield/ENG D3 [transfer)]
F Terrence Boyd (Darmstadt/GER < RM Leipzig/GER [transfer)]
GK Steve Clark (Horsens/DEN , Columbus Crew)
F Sebastien Des Pres (Blackpool D4/ENG < Real Salt Lake-AZ)
M Julian Green (VfB Stuttgart D2/GER < Bayern Munich/GER [free])
F Joe Gyau (Sonnenhof Grossaspach/GER D3 < Borussia Dortmund/GER [transfer])
GK Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL < Molde/NOR [transfer])
M Emerson Hyndman (Rangers/SCO < Bournemouth [loan])
F Jack McBean (LA Galaxy < Coventry City D3/ENG [loan expired])
D Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC < Porto/POR [loan expired])
F Mario Rodriguez (Sonnenhof Grossaspach/GER D3 < Dynamo Dresden/GER D2 [transfer])
F Rubin Rubin (Silkeborg/DEN < FC Utrecht/NED [transfer)]
D Jonathan Spector (Orlando City < Birmingham City D2/ENG [transfer])
F Isaiah Young (Werder Bremen/GER < PDA)