Julian Draxler goes from Wolfsburg to Paris Saint-Germain.
(Photo: dpa)
While the world champion, relieved that his big misunderstanding at VfL Wolfsburg was over, already posed for the photographers with a PSG jersey, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp proved to be a bad loser at Christmas. Disappointed not to have lured the 23-year-old ex-Schalke to England, Kloppo teased Draxler properly.
“Players should know that they can make a lot of money here too, decent money, but we’re not going to do anything stupid here. We want to convince the players with the special character of our club,” said Klopp, according to media reports.
Wolfsburg will receive a whopping up to 47 million euros including bonus payments for Draxler, who has been so disappointing in terms of sport over the past year and a half. In 2015, VfL “only” paid around 36 million euros to FC Schalke 04 for the gifted player. After Leroy Sané in the summer (to Manchester City), Draxler is the second most expensive German player to leave the Bundesliga abroad.
However, it is an open secret that Draxler hardly chose his future club himself, but that VfL was anxious to negotiate with the one who offered the most money for the offensive player. But Klopp especially etched against Draxler: “We believe that if someone is only motivated by money and should show character at a certain point, then he won’t do it.”
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Polemics, but obviously exactly what many football fans in Germany are currently thinking about Draxler. His appearance in the past year and a half on and off the pitch is described as unhappy or reserved. Whether the 23-year-old was always well advised is another question. At Christmas, photos of PR campaigns with Draxler that subsequently failed were again happily transported on social networks.
In 2013, FC Schalke had screens with Draxler’s likeness and the inscription “Julian Draxler: With pride and passion until 2018” driven through the Ruhr area on the occasion of his contract extension. In the summer of 2015, Draxler really wanted to and ended up at VfL. He never felt comfortable there either.
Brought in as the supposed successor to the outstanding Kevin De Bruyne, Draxler never met the high expectations and wanted to force his change again after just one year through an interview that was not coordinated with VfL. The suggested identification with VfL was taken ad absurdum. “Wolfburger. With every fiber” had just been on posters with Draxler’s picture, with which the club had advertised the home jersey for the 2016/2017 season.
Draxler had to stay in Wolfsburg, but the sporting consideration tended towards zero. Now the problem was supposedly solved with delay. “Of course, on the one hand I regret Julian’s departure, because he is an outstanding footballer. On the other hand, I think this step is the right one for all sides,” said VfL coach Valérien Ismaël about the move to Paris.
Late satisfaction for Draxler’s ex-clubs: In addition to VfL, who could hardly count on such a high transfer fee, Schalke also participates and, according to dpa information, receives around four million euros.
The spectacular change could be the start of a – once again – turbulent transfer period in Wolfsburg. According to reports, Luiz Gustavo, Ricardo Rodriguez, Vieirinha or Carlos Ascues could still leave the sporty crashed VfL. In addition, there is still a clear need for reinforcements in the fight against relegation in the second half of the season. The defensive in particular was unsuccessfully put together by sports director Klaus Allofs, who has since been on leave.
Club Announcement
Draxler profile on the DFB side
Klopp statements via “Mirror”
