One of the biggest disappointments of the deadline day that has just passed us by, for Arsenal fans at least, is that their club didn’t sign Julian Draxler. The deadly German’s reputation has been growing and growing over the last couple of seasons and it’s clear he’s set for a big future. He’ll only remain with Schalke 04 for so long.
I think any fan of Premier League football would have enjoyed getting a chance to see the 20-year-old in action. This is a missed opportunity, mostly for Arsenal, but also for those who like to see technically gifted footballs ply their trade on the big stage.
In the end Arsenal signed Swedish international, Kim Kallstrom on a loan deal until the end of the season. In a strange turn of affairs, the Swede is now out for a number of weeks, having signed his Arsenal contract whilst convalescing from a back injury.
So, the Gunners missed out on a brilliant goal scoring German and got a crocked Swede in return. Hardly a fair trade, is it?
Over the last week or so, there were some concerns that Arsenal’s next Champions League opposition, Bayern Munich, had scuppered the deal. Well, thanks to quotes from Schalke manager Clemens Tonnies, it’s clear that Draxler isn’t interested in moving to Munich:
“I can rule out, 100 per cent, that Julian Draxler wants to go to Bayern.” (Source: The Star)
That’s quite succinct isn’t it? But if anybody has the inside line on Draxler’s mindset, it’s Tonnies. As The Star note, this bodes well for Arsenal, should they choose to go back in for Draxler in the summer.
And I certainly hope that they will. Whether Wenger uses him as a midfielder, or a converted striker, it’s clear that he’d make an impact at the Emirates and in the Premier League in general. His price-tag is only going to rise over the coming seasons, so it’s important that the Gunners get in on the ground floor.
With Bayern out of the running, it’ll be interesting to see how many other vultures start swooping around Draxler. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Arsene Wenger has a free run at him.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal stay in the running to sign Julian Draxler?
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