Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has kept his cards close to his chest with regards to potential new recruits in the winter window. Arsenal have a deep squad but it’s almost becoming a cliche to talk about their lack of top-quality strikers.
Giroud has turned out to the excellent recruit for Arsenal but, beyond that, they don’t have much proven and available goal-scoring pedigree.
We have been hearing throughout the January window about Arsenal potentially signing a very expensive midfielder. But it turns out that the apparent plan for Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler is to make him into a striker à la Henry and RvP – much easier said than done, but that’s supposed to be the idea, according to areas of the press.
Anyway, the newspapers have been awash with the idea of a deal happening in the winter window.
The recent injury to the brilliant German midfielder was supposed to have curtailed any move for now. But, over the weekend, the ever keen Daily Mail said the deal was still very much on and that it could be done within hours. The Mail said:
Arsenal have moved a step closer to taking Schalke’s Julian Draxler to the club with a deal expected to be finalised this weekend as Arsene Wenger’s moves to consolidate his best chance of winning the Premier League title since his Invincible team of 2003-04.
Schalke and Arsenal are still in negotiations for the 20-year-old but the player wants to move to the club and the expectation on both sides is that a compromise will be reached this week.
At the Emirates Stadium, a delegation of Arsenal club officials are packing their overnight bags for a trip to Germany to continue haggling with their Schalke counterparts over a fee for Julian Draxler.
The Bundesliga side are believed to want £37m for the 20-year-old midfielder, which is the release fee written into his contract, although Arsenal are hoping to get him for a sum nearer £25m.
But Sky Sports today reported that Schalke officials say there has, as yet, been no bid made:
“You should ask Mr Wenger, call him. There’s no contact with Arsenal or any other club,” said Heldt.
“I understand why you are asking the question but all the topics you mention need to be addressed in London.”
From our point of view, the Draxler the move is probably quite urgent for Arsenal. If the lad plays well for the rest of the season and then has a good World Cup his price, and interest in the player, will go through the roof. Arsene Wenger is a canny operator and he probably knows that the best time to move for the player is now.
We think that if Arsenal do sign a player in this window it will probably be Draxler.
Let’s see the lad in action.
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