Draxler Latest: Alfred Draxler Insists Star Wont Be Joining Arsenal This Month

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, Gooner Mac looks at the latest on Arsenal’s pursuit of Julian Draxler.

Arsenal are set to be frustrated in their attempts to sign Julian Draxler this month with the attacker expected to stay at Schalke until the end of the season, according to Bild.

Draxler has been strongly linked with a move to the Emirates over the past week with reports emerging from Germany on Friday night that claimed a fee had been agreed between the two clubs.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt soon hit back and insisted that there was no agreement in place with the Gunners, while reports on Monday suggested that Arsenal officials will hold further talks in Germany this week to try and finally thrash out a deal before Friday night’s deadline.

However, journalist Alfred Draxler (no relation as far as I know) claims in German publication Bild that he’s spoken to a ‘key decision maker’ at Schalke and they have told him quite categorically that the 20-year-old will not be leaving this month. He was told on Monday:

“On the one hand , there is no official contact with Arsenal . Secondly, no one here wants to sell the player.” a ‘source told Alfred Draxler in Bild

Schalke beat Hamburg 3-0 at the weekend to move back up to fifth in the table – just two points off third-placed Borussia Dortmund – and Alfred Draxler suggests that this victory, combined with having striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar back fit again, has given the club renewed hope that they can qualify for the Champions League again next season.

The journalist states that the club will therefore not disrupt their season and put their European hopes in jeopardy by selling it’s key asset mid-season, and it would take a bid in the region of €50m-€60m for Schalke to even consider cashing in now.

If this report in Bild proves accurate, it looks like we can forget about signing Draxler for now and we’ll have to wait until the summer. All of Alfred Draxler’s reasons makes sense and I always thought it was going to be difficult to prize the attacking midfielder away in January.

It was hard enough with Schalke still in this seasons Champions League but it’s going to be even more difficult now they are back in the hunt to finish in the top-four.

You never know, we might be able to persuade them to sell if they can secure a replacement, but I have the feeling the best we can hope for is agreeing a deal now for Draxler to arrive in the summer. Which would be disappointing in one sense as he wouldn’t be able to help us during the second half of the season, but at least we’d avoid a potential bidding war for the player in the summer.

There are still three days left so let’s see what Wenger can do…

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Do you think we’ll be able to sign Draxler this month? Share your views below.