Arsenal are flying this season and have a real chance to end their two-decade Premier League title drought, but Tuesday night's draw at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League was far from ideal.
Mikel Arteta's side went into the game as favourites, but brilliant performances from Harry Kane, Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry punished the Gunners.
While it's always painful for Arsenal fans to watch Kane score at the Emirates due to his previous allegiances, it was probably just as painful watching Gnabry slot home the opener, given that he used to be a Gooner himself before being sold too soon.
The German's departure is often considered one of the club's worst transfer decisions in recent years, although there is another soon-to-be superstar that Arsenal could rue losing in the past.
Serge Gnabry's post Arsenal career
After years of failing to make an impression at the Emirates and a disastrous loan move to West Bromwich Albion, Gnabry was sold to Werder Bremen in the summer of 2016 for just £4.25m, with one goal and two assists to his name in 18 first-team appearances at Arsenal.
In his first season back in Germany, the Stuttgart-born gem scored 11 goals and provided two assists in 27 games, enough for Munich to step in and spend around €8m – £7m – to secure his signature.
The following season, the German giants sent him out on loan to fellow Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim, where he scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 26 appearances.
The 2018/19 season brought with it his first opportunity to impress in a Bayern shirt, and impress he did.
In 42 appearances that year, the former Gooner found the back of the net 13 times and provided nine assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.9 games.
Team
Werder Bremen
Hoffenheim
Bayern Munich
Appearances
27
26
235
Goals
11
10
86
Assists
2
7
52
Goal Involvements per Match
0.48
0.65
0.58
The 28-year-old has a seriously impressive haul of 86 goals and 52 assists for FC Hollywood in 235 appearances and has won all there is to win in club football despite suffering consistent injuries over the last five years.
It would be hard to consider Arsenal's decision to sell the incredible winger in 2016 as anything other than a massive mistake, and it looks like something similar might have happened again.
Michael Olise's post Arsenal career
Yes, the potential superstar in question is Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, who was part of Arsenal's academy system in 2009.
Now, the one thing that the north Londoners can cling to here is that they won't be the only 'big six' club with eggs on their faces if the young Frenchman goes on to have the career that many are expecting him to have. He was also part of Chelsea's youth setup and spent a short period with Manchester City.
The 22-year-old ace got his chance to play first-team football at Reading, making his debut for the senior side in the 2018/19 season. However, he really made a name for himself two years later when he scored seven goals and provided 12 assists in just 44 games for the then-championship club.
It was a campaign that impressed the Eagles, who swooped in with an £8m offer and brought him to Selhurst Park in July 2021, where he has since excelled and shown his previous sides just what they let go.
In his first season with the club, the "superb" gem, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, scored four goals and provided eight assists in just 31 appearances. In the following campaign, he added another two goals and 11 assists to his tally in 40 games.
This year has been tough for the Hammersmith-born winger, as injury has seen him miss large chunks of the campaign. However, he has still scored six goals and provided three assists in just 12 games, meaning that when he's playing, he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.3 games.
Club
Reading
Crystal Palace
Appearances
73
83
Goals
7
12
Assists
14
22
Goal Involvements per Match
0.28
0.40
Ultimately, given how well he has played in the Premier League over the last couple of years, his potential, and the interest from clubs such as Manchester United, it looks like Olise – who has a reported £60m release clause – might just be another Gnabry on Arsenal's track record.
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