Arsenal Transfer News: Serge Gnabry Keeping His Feet on the Ground as Youngster Looks to Continue Rapid Progress

Nov 16, 2012 06:05 AM EST

Serge Gnabry is one that has been picked out by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to have a bright future ahead of him, with the 17-year-old already making four senior appearances this season.

The youngster, compared to another special talent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, is a typical Arsenal player gifted with pace, technical ability and vision to pick out the right final ball - so it is no surprise that the Frenchman has shown faith in the German youth international.

However, despite making giant strides this season, Gnabry admits he is surprised by the rapid progress made by him. "It's the biggest confidence boost you can have (having the manager's faith)," Gnabry told the club's official website. "Arsène Wenger is one of the greatest coaches in the world and I'm happy to be in that position.

"I try to give him back what he believes in me.

"Since the start of preseason, it's gone very well for me. I've played in the Premier League and the Champions League, and of course that's a big step. I'm very proud.

"I always thought that in football it can go quick or slow, but I didn't expect it to happen so quick.

"It's the mental side that's hard. But you get used to it. At the beginning it's a bit different -- the stadium, the crowd. It's lovely to be there.

"There's bigger people who are very powerful. It's kind of new, because I played against my age group before and now to play against 30-year-old men is a bit different."

The German youngster has good company in the Arsenal team nowadays with compatriots Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker helping him adapt and settle into the Arsenal first team as quickly as possible, something that the playmaker really appreciates.

"It's very good to have two German people in the side," he said. "I can talk to them in my own language and that helps me a lot. They tell me to just keep going, work hard and enjoy being played in the first-team.

"It's just a dream but you have to realise it now. That's the environment I'm in at the moment so it's good. They're German internationals. They're quite recognised everywhere. It's just good to be next to them."

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