Serge Gnabry: The versatile forward Bayern Munich have needed

After spending a successful season on loan at Hoffenheim, Serge Gnabry has shown he is the versatile forward Bayern Munich have needed.

Despite the non-stop rumors that have surrounded Bayern Munich for the past few months, the club is yet to make a move in the summer transfer market. Two exciting additions to the squad have been made, however. The first comes in the form of Leon Goretzka, whose signature was announced earlier this year as he joins on a free from Schalke. The second is Serge Gnabry.

The young German was initially purchased by Bayern Munich a little over a year ago. The former Arsenal man was swooped up by the Bavarians for the meager price of €8 million after a good Bundesliga debut with Werder Bremen.

Gnabry was then sent on loan to Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim, where he spent the ’17-18 season. The Stuttgart academy product had a sensational season under Nagelsmann, who was quick to use the player’s extreme versatility to his advantage. That same versatility could be key for Bayern Munich this season under new coach Niko Kovac.

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Though he burst onto the German soccer scene as a left winger who was quick to cut inside, Gnabry has heavily evolved his game and become a much more well-rounded player. He is now equally comfortable playing as a striker or just behind a striker as he is on the left wing. In fact, half of his 22 starts from this past season came from a center-forward position.

Nagelsmann — ever the tactician — even opted to use Gnabry as a right-wingback on a few occasions to mix things up a bit.

He missed a good deal of games, particularly toward the beginning of the season, with injury. He was, however, still able to secure 10 goals and 5 assists in his 22 Bundesliga appearances. Those are some impressive stats for any forward, but especially so for a 22-year-old in his first year on loan at a club.

That heavy sum of goal-scoring and creating is even further highlighted by the fact that Gnabry was used in such a variety of positions.

Many veterans struggle to have so significant an impact even when they specialize in one particular position and area of the field. Gnabry is able to seamlessly and effectively shift from one attacking position to another without his goal contribution weakening.

Whether with his speed, silky dribbling, powerful shooting or smart passing, Serge Gnabry stands as a significant threat to the opposition defense no matter where he is on the pitch.

Bayern Munich have needed a player of his versatility for some time, and his ability to star all over the pitch could help him play a big role for his new club this season.

New manager Niko Kovac has promised tactical flexibility in Bavaria. Bayern Munich have become accustomed to using a possession-based approach in some form of a 4-2-3-1, 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-3 in recent seasons. Kovac, meanwhile, has often preferred a more defensively sound and direct approach in his time at Eintrach Frankfurt, often lining his men up in some form of a 3-5-2.

The ability to switch from one tactical approach and set-up to another week after week is a tall task for a manager, but one that is made easier by players who can slot in at several positions across the pitch and remain impactful.

Gnabry’s ability to do just that — combined with his underrated talent — should make him an important part of Niko Kovac’s plans.

On the wings, Gnabry will make an excellent partner to Kingsley Coman and help phase the aging Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery out of the starting lineup. Through the middle, the Bavarians have nobody who brings a threat with his directness and pure pace. Not only does Gnabry offer both of those two things, he combines them with his supreme dribbling and movement to make himself a serious threat as a center-forward. It would be no surprise to see him feature as a strike partner to Robert Lewandowski if Kovac opts for a three-at-the-back formation, forcing David Alaba and Joshua Kimmich to provide the main width from the flanks.

Throughout recent seasons, Bayern have suffered through a variety of injury crises during the final stretch of recent seasons, often weakening the squad significantly. A player like Gnabry, who can effectively fill in virtually anywhere across the front line or on either flank, will go a long way in helping the Bavarians avoid another end of season selection conundrum.

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He may not have the most immediate impact on the squad — after all, he did just turn 23 — but Gnabry is not coming to Bayern to happily ride the bench. He’s an extremely talented, if not somewhat underrated, player. Once he settles into life in the Bavarian capital his versatility may very well turn him into one of the squad’s best players.