German winger Julian Draxler appears to be headed out of Wolfsburg in January after manager Valerian Ismael left him out of the matchday squad to face Bayern Munich this weekend. Draxler has been desperate to make a switch from Wolfsburg to a bigger club, with Arsenal and Manchester United heavily linked with him in the past.
The 23-year old has previously indicated his desire to leave the club, and force a move out of the Volkswagen Stadium. “For me it is so that I have expressed myself clearly after the Euros, with Dieter Hecking, that I want to leave Wolfsburg,” he said in an interview with Bild.
“The coach knows for more than three weeks. Two days after the semi-final at the European Championships I told him how I see the whole situation and what I want – which is to leave the club,” said Draxler earlier
Wolfsburg fans have not taken too kindly to Draxler publicly expressing his desire to leave and was booed by his supporters when he came on as a substitute in a 3-2 defeat against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
After the game, manager Ismael was not too sympathetic about Draxler’s woes, instead claiming that what happened was the player’s own fault. "It's never nice when a player is whistled at by your own supporters. It's not helpful," he said. "But you have to understand the fans. The player got himself into the situation."
Reports suggest that he will leave in January
Sporting director Klaus Allofs has also been critical of Draxler’s attitude at the club, claiming that he does not want to put in an effort for Wolfsburg. The club’s previous hardline stance on the player, when they refused to sell him under any circumstance, has changed.
Reports claim that Wolfsburg are now ready to let their wantaway star part for a fee of €36 million, not a very large amount of money for any top club to pay.
Arsene Wenger will be encouraged by the reports of Draxler's unrest at Wolfsburg. Having missed out on him last summer, Wenger will be keen to finally add him to the squad in the winter.
Draxler’s form has, however, dipped considerably this season, managing neither any goals nor assists in 12 games for Wolfsburg. If Arsenal make a bid for him in the January transfer window, they will hope that a new environment and a new league can help rekindle his lost form that once made him one of Germany’s brightest talents.
(Video Courtesy: Mathews Football YouTube Channel)
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