Arsene Wenger has again suggested Bayern Munich manipulated Serge Gnabry’s move away from Arsenal, something he insisted on before the German even joined his current club.

WOLFSBURG, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Serge Gnabry of Germany arrives prior to the International Friendly match between Germany and Serbia at Volkswagen Arena on March 20, 2019 in Wolfsburg, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images,)
WOLFSBURG, GERMANY – MARCH 20: Serge Gnabry of Germany arrives prior to the International Friendly match between Germany and Serbia at Volkswagen Arena on March 20, 2019, in Wolfsburg, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images)

It was pretty difficult to miss Serge Gnabry’s return to North London recently, as the winger scored four goals in a 7-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The match raised all the old questions about why Arsenal had let the player go in the first place, and with Arsene Wenger speaking to beIN SPORTS this week, it’s no surprise they put the question to him.

“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 said.

“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.”

This isn’t the first time Wenger has claimed something similar. Back in January 2017, while Gnabry was still playing for Werder Bremen, the Arsenal manager said: “We have sold him definitely to Werder Bremen. At the time it looked like Bayern Munich were behind it.”

Five months later, Gnabry was signing his contract with the Bundesliga club.

It’s a shame, because if Gnabry had taken exactly the same path without leaving Arsenal – going on loan to Werder Bremen and then 1899 Hoffenheim – there’s no doubt he would still have developed into a top winger. He just did it under Bayern’s ownership instead.