Newcastle United and Southampton must be kicking themselves at failing to land the attacker three years ago.
According to Serge Gnabry himself, Arsenal were desperate to hang onto him in the summer, as reported by the Daily Mail. Unsurprisingly, considering the fact he’d featured only ten times in the Premier League for The Gunners, the sprightly German attacker felt a move away from The Emirates was in his best interests.
And although Werder Bremen find themselves level on points with former fallen giant Hamburg in the Bundesliga’s dastardly relegation play-off spot, Gnabry will not have any regrets about leaping out of his comfort zone and into the harsh reality of a survival fight.
After all, if Bremen are to pick up enough points to retain their Bundesliga status, Gnabry should be afforded the freedom of the picturesque northern city. Without his ten Bundesliga goals and influential performances in attack, Alexander Nouri’s side would barely have a fighting chance.
In fact, you could make a case that no player in the division is as essential to his team as the 21-year-old famously discarded by Tony Pulis at West Brom. His matchwinning double in a crucial relegation six pointer against Wolfsburg summed up Gnabry’s impact – he’s lethal in front of goal but a warrior too, a big-game player the club has come to rely upon.
However, if Werder’s infamously iffy defence undermines his attacking output to the extent that the club tumble into the second tier, don’t expect Gnabry to stick around. He’s been tipped to be a long-term replacement for Arjen Robben at Bayern but, for the moment, the Dutchman continues to defy father time.
Therefore, a return to England wouldn’t be out of the question. According to the Daily Mirror, Southampton and Newcastle United were very much interested in taking the German on loan in 2014 and, three years on, he would remain an ideal addition.
Southampton’s ability to spot a bargain is well-established and Gnabry could be the best of the lot. A technically proficient, skilful winger with an eye for goal, he could slot in effortlessly on the left of Claude Puel’s attack.
And, furthermore, that is the exact position Rafael Benitez is determined to strengthen on Tyneside. The two-time international is also young enough to earn Mike Ashley a huge profit some way down the line.
Although, the way Gnabry is playing at the moment, he may have his sights set above the bottom half of the Premier League.
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