Mitch Freeley 

Arsene Wenger has suggested that former Arsenal youngster Serge Gnabry was manipulated by Bayern Munich prior to his eventual move to the Bundesliga giants. 

Gnabry has transformed into one of the key men at FCB, scoring four goals against Tottenham in the Champions League last week as the German Champions ran riot in North London. Whilst Wenger suggested that Bayern manipulated Gnabry during his 2016 move to Werder Breman. 

“We tried to extend his contract for a very long time and I think that Bayern manipulated behind the scenes, that if he went to Bremen he would join Bayern after.” 

Wenger was speaking exclusively to beIN SPORTS about the German international who should play some part in die Mannschaft’s glamour friendly with Argentina later today. 

The winger was signed by Wenger at the age of sixteen failed to make the grade at North London, despite the then Arsenal boss having plenty of faith in the youngster. 

“He was always a very talented boy who lacked confidence in some stages, but we always thought we had a player who could achieve a lot.”

“He came back from a very bad experience at West Brom where his confidence was destroyed. I tried to rebuild him because I believed in him.”

Having returned to Germany, Gnabry has blossomed into one of the best wingers in the Bundesliga, and Wenger revealed his shock at watching his former protégé score four against Arsenal’s feted North London rivals Tottenham.  

“They’d just won 3-0 at Paderborn, you wouldn’t expect them to come and put 7 goals away at Tottenham. I think it was one of those nights where everything goes for you and everything against Tottenham.”

A flying start of five goals in nine starts in all competitions suggests that Gnabry should be a regular fixture in the Bayern and German national sides this season. However, Wenger believes the 24-year-old needs to add consistency to his game to be considered as the very best. 

“A top-level career is consistency, if you look at the players that dominate our sport it’s the ones that show HUGE consistency and that’s what is it at stake. Can he maintain the quality of performances that he showed the other night?”

You can hear more from Wenger on Gnabry in the video above.