Could Arsenal re-sign Serge Gnabry this summer?
FT Desk
- 8 Mar 2022 10:40 CST
- 5 min read
Arsenal have seemingly turned a corner under Mikel Arteta and may well finish the season with a top four finish in the Premier League.
However, even with Champions League football secured, the Arsenal manager will know that key additions in the summer transfer window will be key to reconfirming the London club as one of England and Europe’s top clubs.
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One such transfer target that could become more and more appealing as we edge towards the summer transfer window is none other than Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry.
But how likely is a move to Arsenal in the summer and could Gnabry really leave the Munich side this year?
Could Gnabry leave Bayern?
At the moment there is very little to suggest that Gnabry wants to leave Bayern either this summer or even next year. But that’s not to say that it’s a completely unrealistic notion.
Reports in Germany have suggested that the 26-year-old winger is happy at the Bundesliga side but could grow wary of his standing in Julian Nagelsmann’s side if contract negotiations don’t go well this year.
Following the arrival of Leroy Sane and the extension of Kingsley Coman’s contract making the French player one of the club’s most highly paid players, Gnabry will demand a similar deal as proof that he’s as valued by the Munich club.
If Bayern don’t deem Gnabry to be as important as Sane or Coman, the Germany international could instead opt to run down his contract, which expires in 2023. Which would then perhaps force Bayern to sell the winger this summer, rather than risk losing him for free.
Would he return to Arsenal?
While a number of Europe’s biggest clubs would be interested in signing Gnabry if he became available this summer, Arsenal could prove to be an enticing offer for the winger.
That’s simply because Gnabry used to play for the London club as a youngster and recently suggested that leaving to join Werder Bremen in 2016 was “the hardest decision” he had made in his career.
Back in 2019, speaking on Pro:Direct Soccers’ YouTube channel about Arsenal, he said, “Always a Gunner,” when asked about a potential return in the future.
He also added: “It [leaving the club] was the hardest decision but in the end, I think it worked out as I wanted to play, but as a club man Arsenal [gestures with his hand held high] top, top.”
Should Arsenal finish in the top four this season and qualify for the Champions League, they would be able to offer Gnabry a move to another top European club but one that would, crucially, be able to make the Germany international a key player.
