Arsenal face Bayern Munich on Wednesday night in a Champions League showdown that brings Serge Gnabry back to the Emirates — the very ground where his senior career began and, for many fans, ended far too early.
Ahead of the match, TSG Hoffenheim assistant coach Moritz Volz — who spent two spells at Arsenal, first as a player and later as a scout — spoke to t-online about Gnabry’s departure in 2016 and how the club really viewed the German winger. His comments offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of Arsenal’s most regretted talent losses of the past decade.
Arsenal “were certainly a little annoyed” after Gnabry left
Gnabry joined Arsenal from Stuttgart as a youth player in 2011 and made his first-team debut the following year under Arsène Wenger. Talented, explosive and fearless, he was widely regarded as one of the academy’s standout prospects.
But injuries stalled his rise, and a disastrous loan to West Brom in 2015/16 — where Tony Pulis deemed him “not at the level” — pushed him towards an exit. He left for Werder Bremen in 2016 before joining Bayern Munich a year later, where he has since become a Bundesliga superstar.
Volz says Arsenal never doubted his talent — and were far from happy when he chose to leave.
“They were certainly a little annoyed, especially immediately after Serge left,” Volz revealed.
“But he wasn’t under-appreciated. He made his first professional appearances early on, and they were good.”
Volz explained that while Arsenal wanted to keep him, Gnabry ultimately decided he needed a new path.
“It wasn’t Arsenal who said he couldn’t make it, but he himself who said, ‘I see a different path for myself’.”
Injuries, loan struggles, and a turning point
Despite Arsenal’s optimism for his future, multiple injuries derailed Gnabry’s momentum during his time in north London. His loan to West Brom was supposed to reignite his development — instead, it set him back further.
Volz highlights that context:
- Early promise and senior minutes
- Repeated injuries
- A loan spell that “didn’t go as planned”
- A player-driven decision to move on
From Arsenal’s perspective, the intention was to develop him patiently, not to discard him. From Gnabry’s perspective, the Premier League chapter had run its course.
“You can’t overlook a quality like Gnabry’s”
Volz emphasised that elite talent eventually finds its level.
“You can’t overlook a quality like Gnabry’s — and that’s how he still made it to the very top.”
It’s difficult to argue. Gnabry has since become a Champions League winner, one of Bayern’s most reliable attackers, and a regular for Germany — a trajectory Arsenal wished had happened in red and white.
Our View: Arsenal’s regret is understandable — but the story is more complex
Having covered Gnabry’s Arsenal years closely, this was never a case of misjudgment by the club. In our view, his exit stemmed from timing, circumstance and frustration rather than evaluation.
Although some fans still blame Arsenal for “letting him go,” other indications point differently: the player had lost faith after injuries and a damaging West Brom loan. He needed a restart, and Bundesliga football suited his rhythm far better at that stage. This seems optimistic in hindsight, but the move transformed his career.
From experience tracking players who leave England young, Germany often provides the developmental space that the Premier League cannot. Gnabry is one of the clearest examples.
Key Insights
- Arsenal did want to keep Gnabry and were “annoyed” by his departure.
- Injuries and a failed West Brom loan derailed his progress at the club.
- Gnabry chose to leave — it was not a case of Arsenal pushing him out.
- His talent was always recognised; Bayern and Germany proved that.
- He returns to the Emirates on Wednesday as a Champions League star.
What’s Next
Gnabry is expected to feature for Bayern Munich against Arsenal in Wednesday’s Champions League tie — a reunion loaded with history, emotion, and inevitable questions of what might have been.
👉 Arsenal fans — do you consider Gnabry the “one that got away,” or was his departure unavoidable?
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