Arsenal have spoken to representatives of Julian Draxler of Paris Saint-Germain about a possible move to Emirates Stadium in January.
The Gunners are looking for a creative new midfielder this winter to provide an alternative to breakout star Emile Smith Rowe, and scouts have scoured Europe trying to find the best deal possible.
Dominik Szoboszlai was a key target ahead of his move to RB Leipzig, but sources have confirmed 90 mins that Draxler’s name has come up several times in conversations when discussing an alternative to Hungarian.
Arsenal have long wanted to move for Draxler, having failed to sign him when he traded Wolfsburg for PSG in 2017, and they are ready to rekindle their interest now that the German has entered the final six months of his career. contract.
PSG have made it clear that they will not stand in the way of Draxler if he wants to leave the club, and the 27-year-old is now in talks with a number of clubs across Europe.
Arsenal are interested in offering Draxler a pre-contract before landing him on a free transfer, but the Gunners would also like to bring the German in before the January transfer window ends.
Much of Arsenal’s activities in the coming months could depend on Mesut Ozil’s future. The German has already reached an agreement in principle to join Fenerbahce this summer, but discussions continue on what to do with the remaining six months of his £ 350,000-a-week contract.
If Arsenal can find a way to take Ozil off the books immediately, that would free up a large sum of money that could be reinvested elsewhere, and Draxler is one of the few players under consideration.
Interest in Lyon’s Houssem Aouar has waned, and as Arsenal keep tabs on Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia and Celtic’s Ryan Christie, club chiefs are intrigued by the idea of landing someone of Draxler’s stature for cheap.
The Gunners will continue to weigh their options over the next few weeks, with Mikel Arteta working closely with director Edu to determine the best shot, and Draxler is very much in Arsenal’s thinking as it is.
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