Serge Gnabry hoping to thrive on competition at Bayern Munich

After enjoying a productive pre-season, Serge Gnabry is confident about thriving on intense competition at Bayern Munich.

Serge Gnabry hoping to thrive on competition at Bayern Munich.
Serge Gnabry hoping to thrive on competition at Bayern Munich. | ANP/GettyImages

Serge Gnabry was once again on the scoresheet when Bayern Munich played in London on Saturday. The German winger scored Bayern’s second goal against Tottenham Hotspur in the pre-season friendly. Gnabry has consistently scored for Bayern whenever they have played in London.

Apart from scoring against Spurs on Saturday, Gnabry has looked sharp for Bayern this pre-season. The German winger looks fit and seems to have gotten over the muscle injuries that troubled him last campaign. Gnabry got crucial game time under his belt during the pre-season to be ready for the start of the season.

Bayern wanted to sell Gnabry this summer. Newcastle United had concrete interest in the German winger, but he had no plans to leave Bavaria this summer. Gnabry has not actively held talks with interested clubs as his focus remains on succeeding in Munich next season.

Gnabry is aware that a place in the starting XI is not guaranteed at Bayern. The German winger faces intense competition in the attack after the arrival of Michael Olise from Crystal Palace. Bayern are also looking to sign Désiré Doué from Rennes. While talking to Sky Sports during the week (via iMiaSanMia), Gnabry insisted that strong competition will help Die Roten to achieve their targets next season.

"I think this has been the same topic and the same situation in the past years. A club like FC Bayern has always signed good players and always had good players. There's always competition. For me personally, I want to perform, play a good season and have success with the team again."
Serge Gnabry

Make or break season for Serge Gnabry at Bayern Munich

Bayern waved off competition to extend Gnabry’s contract in 2022. The German winger has been a productive forward for Bayern since arriving from the loan spell at Hoffenheim in 2018. It was a no-brainer for Die Roten to secure his future as he entered the peak of his career.

However, things have not gone as planned for Gnabry and Bayern since signing the new deal in 2022. The German winger has struggled for consistency on the pitch. He struggled with muscle injuries last season, which limited his playing time. The German winger has looked a shadow of himself in the last two seasons.

It was not surprising to see Bayern ready to part ways with Gnabry this summer. He is one of the big earners in the squad. However, the player’s determination and lack of concrete offers have made sure Gnabry stays in Bavaria. It is certainly a make-or-break season for Gnabry at Bayern. With Die Roten adding more attacking quality this summer, Gnabry has to up his game or else he may end up leaving Bavaria next summer.

Gnabry also needs a strong season to get back into the German squad. Julian Nagelsmann has always been a fan of Gnabry, but he needs to play regularly to play for the German national team. It will be interesting to see how Vincent Kompany rebuilds Gnabry’s confidence and get the best out of him.