Wenger Makes His Move To Sign €42m Attacker – Could He Be The New RVP?

With the January transfer window now open for business clubs will be working hard to try and strengthen their squad for the second half of the season, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest  news, gossip and rumours. Today, Arsenal make their move for Julian Draxler.

After weeks of speculation it seems Arsenal have made their move for German sensation Julian Draxler with reports in this morning’s media claiming Arsene Wenger is willing to spend around €42m (£35m) on the attacker and then convert him into a striker.

The Gunners were strongly linked with the 20-year-old over the summer but any potential deal was put on ice after the club signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid, while Draxler was content to remain at Schalke for another year to try and cement himself in the German World Cup squad.

However, it seems boss Arsene Wenger has retained his interest in the player with the Mirror reporting that the Frenchman has now brought forward plans to try and sign Draxler in the summer and approached Schalke about the possibility of taking him to the Emirates this month instead.

The German youngster has made his name as a wide attacking midfielder, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that Wenger was eyeing him as a replacement for Theo Walcott – who’s been ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

But that doesn’t appear to be the case as the report suggests that Wenger plans to convert Draxler into a striker, much in the same way he has done with Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie in the past. There are certainly similarities in Draxler and van Persie as they are both slightly over 6 foot tall, are extremely skillful with the ball at their feet and have an eye for goal, so this could turn out to be another masterstroke from Wenger.

The Mirror claim Draxler’s buy-out fee – which can only be activated in the summer – is around €42m (£35m) but previous reports have suggested it’s closer to €45m (£37m). Either way it’s going to be another significant investment from Arsenal if they do end up signing him and another real statement of intent from the club.

There is still a long way to go before Draxler is wearing the famous Red & White but the newspaper seems to think the Gunners hierarchy are confident a deal can be agreed this month, and reports in Germany have suggested that Schalke are already lining up Tottenham outcast Lewis Holtby as a replacement for the talented attacker.

So this one could be edging closer and if Arsenal do manage to pull it off, Draxler will join an ever-growing German contingent at the Emirates that already includes Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolaski and Serge Gnabry, so he should have no problems settling in at the club.

ALSO SEE: Arsenal linked with Spanish defender

Is Draxler the man to fire Arsenal to the title? Share your views below.