Werder Bremen attacker Serge Gnabry believes he would not be the player he is now without his time at Arsenal.
The 21-year-old joined the Arsenal youth academy in 2011 but returned to Germany ahead of the current season after failing to tie down a regular first-team berth.
Gnabry has since impressed with a number of stand-out performances and even earned himself a place in the Germany squad for Friday s World Cup qualifier against San Marino, netting a debut hat-trick in the 8-0 victory.
I would not have been the player I am, not without my time in England, Gnabry told RND.
There is Arsenal s playing style, for example, that I had to learn during my time there.
And it is a given that you learn a lot and improve when you are training with great players like at Arsenal for three years. That was definitely the case with me.
I would perhaps not have been with the national team now without my time in England.
Gnabry was one of a number of surprise inclusions in the Germany squad for the win over San Marino and says he briefly thought he was the target of a practical joke when Joachim Low got in touch.
The national team coach gave me a call and I needed a second to realise it was really him, Gnabry added.
You have some radio shows doing prank calls and I did not want to be a victim of such a prank.
