Bayern Munich fans will have to wait to see Serge Gnabry make his debut, after his much anticipated loan move to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim was confirmed.

The 22-year-old, who signed for Bayern from Werder Bremen five weeks ago, will play under Julian Nagelsmann for the next year, although he is yet to complete his medical with the club.

Fourth club in a year

And so the career of the former Arsenal man takes another twist. After his successful season with Bremen, where he scored 11 goals in 27 matches, he chose to activate a clause in his contract that allowed him to move away from the club for free.

At the time there was speculation that Hoffenheim, with the allure of UEFA Champions League football, were in prime position for his signature. However Bayern, who had never shaken off rumours they were somehow involved in Gnabry’s transfer to Bremen in the first place, were quickest off the line.

Nevertheless, a loan move to Hoffenheim remained a possibility, especially given the level of competition Gnabry would face at the Allianz Arena. With that only likely to increase with the arrival of James Rodríguez, this deal looks the best option for all parties.

Gives Hoffenheim flexibility in attack

In a statement, Bayern’s CEO Karl-Heniz Rummenigge said that Gnabry himself had “expressed a wish to go out on loan” so that he could “get more match expierence,” which he is “guaranteed to get” with Hoffenheim.

Meanwhile, Hoffenheim’s director of professional football Alexander Rosen believes that Gnabry, an “enormously fast and prolific player,” could give Hoffenheim’s game “a further component.”

Nagelsmann expanded on that by calling him a “highly talented and really exciting player.” He feels he will bring “a lot of tempo” and the “flexibility” to play in several positions on the pitch, and that he also brings a wealth of experience gained with Arsenal, Bremen as well as the Germany national teams.

Gnabry will be reunited at Hoffenheim with Jeremy Toljan and Nadiem Amiri, with whom he helped to win the UEFA European Under-21 Championship with Germany at the end of last month.

Quotes via Bayern Munich and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.