Arsenal have been given a huge transfer boost in their reported pursuit of Julian Draxler, with the German midfielder reaffirming his desire to leave the club after being booed by his own fans over the weekend.
The 23-year-old confirmed he wanted to leave Wolfsburg over the summer but, despite interest from the Gunners, a move never materialised.
But the German international’s comments over the summer seems to have rubbed Wolfsburg fans up the wrong way and jeered him after he came on as a sub during the club’s 3-2 defeat to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Draxler has now put potential suitors on red alert once again by suggesting his relationship with Wolfsburg fans could be unrepairable:
‘I don’t think I need to tell anybody what [being booed] does to a person – it certainly doesn’t help you.
‘There’s no doubt it makes it hard for you to perform on the field.
‘I can understand the fans, though. They have every right to do that. I said in the summer the way I feel and I stand by that.’
A January move away from the German club is now being mooted, with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain repeatedly being linked with the midfielder.
But Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs insists the player will not be leaving the club when the January transfer window opens:
‘It is wrong to think we are looking to sell him. We are not planning to sell anyone’
‘The most important thing is that the impression that Julian wants out disappears. He wants to do everything within his powers to be successful at Wolfsburg.
‘There is absolutely no reason to even talk about Julian leaving in January. I am convinced Julian will not repeat his comments from last summer.’
It remains to be seen whether Draxler will hand in a transfer request and whether Wolfsburg accepts his proposal. But should the club go ahead with his request and be put up for sale, expect Arsenal to be linked once again, with Arsene Wenger perhaps considering strengthening his squad ahead of the second-half of the season.
