Two-footed, tricky and blessed with a rocket shot in danger of tearing a net off it’s stanchion, there’s a touch of Luis Figo about Serge Gnabry.
And that’s according to the man himself.
However, during Bayern Munich’s remarkable treble-winning campaign of 2019/20, Gnabry achieved something Ballon D’Or-winning Figo never did at the very top of the world game – he broke the 20-goal barrier.
With a staggering 23 goals in all competitions, including four at Tottenham and those sublime braces against Chelsea and Lyon en route to Champions League glory, Gnabry’s place among the elite was secured during a remarkable 2020.
Much to the chagrin of Arsenal fans who, while Gnabry was scribing his name in Bayern folklore, were forced to watch in horror as a misfiring Gunners endured their worst Premier League season since the turn of the century.
Nobody at the Emirates needs us to point out history doesn’t look fondly on Arsenal’s decision to accept a £4.5 million bid from Werder Bremen in August 2016 (Daily Mail).
That didn’t stop Rio Ferdinand piling in after Gnabry weaved through the Lyon defence to score an iconic Champions League semi-final goal.
“If you can get around 20 goals and ten-plus assists, you are sitting at the top level, a world-class wideman,” Ferdinand told BT Sport (19 August, 10pm).
“He looks a well-educated player (and) does all the right things – with and without the ball.
“He’s got to be one of the most improved players in football at the moment. In terms of his trajectory, from where he was being discarded by Arsenal and West Brom to where he is now – wow.”
Four years after Arsenal gained £4.5 million but lost a soon-to-be superstar, the London giants are 11th and in the midst of a six-hour goal drought from open play.
Meanwhile, the spectre of Gnabry continues to hang like a dark shadow over the Emirates, an eternally mocking reminder of what might have been.
“If you have to ask me for a player that reminds me of the way I played, I’ll say I really like (Ousmane) Dembele. He has enormous potential. Then there are others like Gnabry at Bayern Munich,” Real Madrid, Barcelona and Portugal legend Figo tells Marca.
“He’s very good, young. They’re players I like because they like to take risks and have no fear. And that’s important for teams that play with wingers.”
Remarkably, Gnabry has scored more goals in 55 minutes against Schalke in September than Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has in 717 across the entire Premier League season.
All the while, Alexandre Lacazette looks a fading shadow of the man who won Arsenal’s player of the year in May 2019, Nicolas Pepe remains a £72 million afterthought and Willian, weeks into his three-year contract, seems to be disappearing down the drain.
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