Heldt Dismisses Talk Of Draxler Making £35m Arsenal Move

With the January transfer window in full flow clubs are 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, Schalke insist Julian Draxler isn’t heading to Arsenal.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt insists attacker Julian Draxler isn’t set for a £37m move to Arsenal either this month or at the end of the season, according to the Mirror.

Draxler has been heavily linked with a switch to the Emirates over the past six months and many reports last week suggested that the Gunners were trying to bring forward plans to sign the player in the summer and were now keen on luring him to north London in January following an injury to Theo Walcott.

The 20-year-old has a £35m release clause written into his contract and it was reported that Arsene Wenger was prepared to meet that valuation with the player even understood to have been shown around the clubs training facilities.

However, Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has insisted that Arsenal haven’t even been in contact to express their interest in Draxler yet and claims talk of a move either now or in the summer is nothing more than ‘wild speculation’. When quizzed about the Gunners interest, he said:

“I am not aware that Julian would like to leave us, neither in the winter nor in summer.

“There is no question of a bid regarding Julian. At the end of it, it’s wild speculation, which takes place over there in England.

“The clubs would have to report to us if they were interested.” Heldt is quoted as saying by the Mirror

Although Schalke are understandably trying to play down the possibility of their star man leaving, it’s unlikely to stop the speculation from intensifying.

Draxler himself fuelled the fire when he recently admitted that he has spoken with German team-mates Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker about life in London, whilst also taking the time to praising Arsene Wenger’s team’s playing style:

“I have always said English teams are very big clubs and Arsenal is of course one of them.

“Of course I sometimes speak to Mesut or Per about the team, about the club, and they always have good words and they tell me nice things. You never know what happens in the summer but Arsenal is a very, very nice team.”

“They always have very young players, they play attractive football and that’s what I like.” [source: Mirror]

A big-money move like this is rare in the January window and with Schalke still in the Champions League, I really can’t see anything happening this month where Draxler is concerned. However, there is sure to be interest in the player this summer and I would expect Arsenal to be leading the chase for his signature.

ALSO READ: Arsenal face fight for £28m attacker

Whether we manage to pull it off remains to be seen, but I personalty hope we can as he’d be a superb addition to the squad and the possibility of him linking up with the likes of Ozil and Cazorla next season is a mouth-watering prospect.

Do you think Arsenal have a chance of signing Draxler? Share your views below.