Serge Gnabry is being linked with a return to Arsenal.
Almost six years ago, following an ill-fated loan spell at West Brom under Tony Pulis, allied with limited first-team opportunities at the Emirates Stadium, doubts were in the German's mind that a long-term role in the first-team would become a reality if he stayed.
As such, Gnabry, with a year remaining on his contract, left Arsenal with no choice other than to sell him to Werder Bremen for around £5million and it's a decision that has regularly come back to haunt the Gunners.
The winger is now a regular for Bayern Munich as well as the Germany national team and his trophy haul includes one Champions League, three Bundesliga titles and a FIFA Club World Cup.
However, the 26-year-old could be on the move when the summer transfer window opens.
Amid reports that there has been no agreement to extend his contract at the Allianz Arena, it has been suggested that Arsenal could be one of the clubs who would be willing to make a move to re-sign their former player.
Given Gnabry's deal expires in 2023, Bayern could find themselves in an identical position to the Gunners by needing to cash in on the winger as he enters the final 12 months of his contract in order to avoid the risk of losing him for free.
Now, it remains to be seen if a return to north London for the Germany international is a possibility but the fact that Mikel Arteta and Edu are targeting two forwards this summer, along with a central midfielder and a right-back to provide cover for Takehiro Tomiyasu makes things rather interesting.
Capable of operating on either flank or down the middle, Gnabry's versatility means he can be the perfect wide forward option which then allows the aforementioned Gunners pair to focus on signing a natural centre-forward amid links to Alexander Isak and Lautaro Martinez.
Reaching double figures for goals in every season since returning to Germany is one incentive for Arteta and Edu to pursue a deal for Gnabry if Bayern are willing to sell this summer.
Another incentive is a double squad registration boost Gnabry can hand Arsenal - especially if they're in the Champions League or any European competition next season.
Interestingly the Gunners had problems in this area last season due to the size of their squad.
Firstly Arteta was forced to exclude Mesut Ozil and Sokratis from his Premier League and Europa League squads for the 2020/21 campaign and then Martin Odegaard - who arrived on loan from Real Madrid in January 2021 - was only able to take the remaining non-homegrown spot in the Premier League squad after Shkodran Mustafi had joined Schalke.
Depending on what business Arsenal plan to get done this summer, signing Gnabry can help them with any attempts to bring in the likes of Youri Tielemans, Isak, Martinez or Jonathan David for example.
This is because when Gunners are asked to name their 25-man Premier League squad after the summer transfer window closes - usually at the beginning of September - no more than 17 overseas players can be included with the remaining eight places available to homegrown members of the squad.
To be considered homegrown, players need to have been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Welsh FA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
As Gnabry fits the criteria having joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2011 and spending more than three years at the club, should he return he can take up a homegrown place alongside Aaron Ramsdale, Benjamin White, Rob Holding and Emile Smith Rowe as things stand.
Furthermore, if Hector Bellerin, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all leave this summer, Gnabry can help boost the Gunners' number of homegrown players and ensure no registration problems arise regarding any potential non-homegrown signings.
Things are a little different in European competitions as UEFA rules state:
'No club can have more than 25 players on List A during the season, of whom at least two must be goalkeepers.'
'As a minimum, eight of those 25 places are reserved exclusively for 'locally trained players'. If a club have fewer than eight locally trained players in their squad, then the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly.'
'Club-trained players are players who were on a club's books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.'
'Association-trained players are players who were on another club's books in the same association for three years between the ages of 15 and 21. No club can have more than four association-trained players among their eight 'local' nominees on List A.'
The last time Arsenal were in Europe - the Europa League last season - several non-homegrown players failed to make the cut for both the group phase and knockout rounds.
A repeat may have been on the cards this season, especially after the January transfer window with Nketiah the only remaining club-trained player having been on the club's books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
Meanwhile, going off the updated Premier League squad, Ramsdale, White, Holding and Jonathan Dinzeyi would have been the four association-trained players named having been another English club's books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
Who are the teams you love to hate? Which teams do you have a soft spot for? Take part in our League of Love & Hate survey
As a result with Arsenal only able to name five 'locally trained players' they would have had to cut three first-team stars and register a 20-man squad.
Although, after letting Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Pablo Mari and Sead Kolasinac leave in January the Gunners would have been just fine.
But as Gnabry is classed as a 'club-trained player' if he was to return to Arsenal his registration would open up at least one extra space for a non-homegrown player and allow Arteta to name a bigger squad.
