Serge Gnabry is already beginning to look like the one that got away, as far as Arsenal are concerned.
The German winger made his debut for the Gunners not long after his 17th birthday, and scored his first goal for the club at the age of 18.
But Gnabry’s progress was stalled by injury, and last season he was unable to make his mark during a loan spell with West Bromwich Albion.
That led to the 21-year-old opting to return to the country of his birth, joining Werder Bremen in a cut-price deal despite Arsene Wenger reportedly being keen to keep him in North London, and he is already showing the club what they are missing.
Gnabry top-scored at the Olympic Games as Germany’s Under-23 team won the silver medal, and some strong early-season form in Bremen earned him his first full international call-up.
He made his debut away at San Marino, and didn’t just score – he became the first German to score a hat-trick on their full international debut since Dieter Müller in 1976,
.@SergeGnabry is the first Germany debutant to score a hat-trick since Dieter Müller in 1976! ⚽️⚽️⚽️ #SMRGER pic.twitter.com/5FmARjsKJQ
— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) November 11, 2016
Gnabry’s treble helped Germany to an 8-0 away win that leaves Die Mannschaft top of Group C with maximum points from their first four games.
And, after the match, Werder Bremen couldn’t resist twisting the knife.
1. 🇩🇪 debut ✔️
2. Hat-trick ✔️
3. 8-0 win ✔️
4. @Arsenal 😉 pic.twitter.com/CicrQ2hT2k— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) November 11, 2016
They’re not the first Bundesliga club to have a bit of fun at British sides’ expense.
Augsburg made the most of their meeting with Liverpool in last season’s Europa League, while Borussia Mönchengladbach laughed off a spelling snafu ahead of their Champions League double-header with Celtic.
When Bremen have such a talented young footballer on their hands, it’s no wonder they’re smiling.
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