After a promising start to the season, it was announced today that Arsenal’s German starlet Serge Gnabry has put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at the club, renewing his first professional contract signed in 2012.

Gnabry, whose father hails from the Ivory Coast, first signed for the North London club for £100,000 in 2010, though had to wait until his sixteenth birthday the following year to officially join the club.

Despite making his debut against Coventry City in the Capital One Cup in September 2012, impressing in the Champions League in a home defeat against Schalke and featuring in the thrilling 7-5 victory at Reading, this season has seen the winger finally make an extended impact on the first team.

A truly Wenger-esque player if ever there was one, Gnabry has made five appearances this season, getting on the scoresheet for the first time with the winner in a 2-1 victory at Swansea City. The German under-19s international possesses all the qualities to succeed at Arsenal, notably pace, incredible upper body strength and supreme technical ability. With a fine finish added to the mix, it is unsurprising that Arsene Wenger moved quickly to secure his services.

The attacking midfielder, who is equally adept at playing on either wing or behind the striker, has received plaudits from several members of Arsenal Football Club since signing his contract, with Tomas Rosicky stating that “I think he has a manager here who will develop him... he is a very talented boy”, whilst Wenger added that “we signed Serge Gnabry because I believe that he will be a great player. He’s nearly there”.

The last sentence of Wenger’s suggests we could be seeing plenty more of him in the coming weeks, particularly as the fixtures become more and more congested. With Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski set to return however, Gnabry may have to wait for an extended run in the first team. A loan remains a possibility in January.

Expressing his delight at signing a new contract, Gnabry stated that “Arsenal is a great football club and I’m so happy to be here and sign a new contract”.

After securing the long-term services of the ‘British core’ last season, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs and Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wenger will no doubt be delighted to add Gnabry to the impressive cohort of young talents set to shine at the Emirates for years to come.

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