A report has revealed how Serge Gnabry was left questioning his future in English football ahead of securing a move away from Arsenal in 2016. Once touted as the future of Arsenal, Gnabry was eventually sold to Werder Bremen for just £5m in 2016. He has since joined Bayern Munich and thoroughly impressed during Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool in the Champions League.
The look into Gnabry’s exit from Arsenal comes from football.london, who note that the German found himself falling out of love with English football in the final years of his Gunners career, after injuries and poor form had hampered his progress. He made his debut for Arsenal as a 17-year-old in a 6-1 win over Coventry City in September 2012, but quickly found himself struggling with injuries. He struggled to overcome these issues, but hoped to start fresh in the 2013/14 season.
A run in the team ensued, but a knee injury again derailed his career just a few years later, as Gnabry missed a huge part of the 2014/15 campaign. As he eventually recovered from this ailment, Arsenal opted to send Gnabry on loan to West Bromwich Albion in an attempt to give him some much-needed match experience.
However, then-manager Tony Pulis quickly decided that Gnabry was simply not good enough for the Premier League, and he saw just 12 minutes of league action before Arsenal acted to terminate the deal. It was this failed move which proved to be the final straw for Gnabry. He wanted to leave English football and rejected a contract offer from Arsenal as he looked to force an exit from the club, before Bremen swooped to secure a cut-price deal for the youngster.
Soon after leaving the club, Gnabry said: “It was the right decision [to leave Arsenal]. Everybody who compares my development over the last four months to my time in England before that can’t come to a different conclusion. “That was the main reason for the transfer – I wanted to get more playing time and it worked. Arsenal wanted to keep me, badly. But I had to look after my development.”
Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry has “definitely improved” since moving to the Bundesliga from Arsenal, according to former Premier League striker Andy Cole who praised the 23-year-old’s performance against Liverpool. The forward starred for the German champions as they held the Reds to a 0-0 draw in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg.
Speaking as a pundit on beIN Sports , Cole said: “Considering he couldn’t get a game at Arsenal – they kept saying how talented he was, but couldn’t get a game – he’s gone back to Germany and he’s definitely improved. “I’ve never seen Robertson get beat like that by anyone, in the Champions League or the Premier League, and today he had a difficult night and he knows he had a difficult night.”
Speaking as a pundit on beIN Sports , Cole said: “Considering he couldn’t get a game at Arsenal – they kept saying how talented he was, but couldn’t get a game – he’s gone back to Germany and he’s definitely improved. “I’ve never seen Robertson get beat like that by anyone, in the Champions League or the Premier League, and today he had a difficult night and he knows he had a difficult night.”
Liverpool had 15 efforts at goal to Bayern’s nine and registered the only two shots on target in the game, with Bayern taking a cautious approach to the match. Asked about his duel with Robertson after the game, Gnabry said: “I think it was a good battle – it was fun. Hopefully next time I will go past and score. An away goal would have been nice for us but I think we’re happy with our performance,” Gnabry continued. “Coming to Anfield is never easy.”