A TRANSFER POSSIBILITY: Draxler can become an Arsenal god like Henry & Van Persie

It might sound like a lot of money for Arsenal to be paying so soon after signing Mesut Ozil but the €48 million move being weighed up for Julian Draxler, would be an absolute bargain should Arsene Wenger conclude a deal for the Schalke attacker. 

For that price Arsenal would be acquiring the services of a player - not only of stratospheric potential - but one who is already among the top performers on the continent. 

Quite simply, his signature would be the catalyst for Arsenal to take a step to the next level. 

Schalke, for their part, seem to already be making plans for life without their highly-prized youth prospect. Last week they secured the services for next season of Sidney Sam at a cost
of around £2m. The Germany international is capable of playing either side of the attack and can fill any slot left vacant in the Schalke team by Draxler. A €45.8m profit on a youth team product with a replacement sourced already would not be a bad bit of business on the part of Horst Heldt - the Schalke general manager. 

Even if they do end up holding onto Draxler through January to the summer, Schalke have no realistic shot of keeping him for the duration of his latest contract. He signed it at the end of last season - through 2018 - on improved terms. But in all honesty it was an exercise in inflating Draxler's price more than anything else. By committing the attacker to a new deal, Schalke guaranteed themselves a few Euros more. 

Simply put, Draxler cannot fulfil his potential at Schalke. He is a player who needs a team around him who play with more consistency. He needs a coach with a better grasp of things than Jens Keller. His shunting back to the left this season for the accommodation of Kevin-Prince Boateng a damning indictment of Keller's inability to see the most effective channel to goal in his squad. 

Despite being only 20, Draxler is not shy about speaking up for himself either and, in early winter, questioned his coach's decision to field him back out wide. Not only physically strong, but headstrong too. Despite the talent in their squad, Schalke look an unsteady bet for Champions League football next season and that is not the type of circumstance in which one of Germany's brightest talents should find himself. 

With Arsene Wenger guiding the next, key, portion of his career, there would be no limit to what Draxler could achieve. Wenger, previously, converted the left wingers Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie into north London goalscoring gods and the indications are that he has similar plans afoot for Draxler. 

The recent glut of German attacking midfield talent have all been fielded at various intervals by club coaches, as well as Joachim Low, at centre forward. Count among that number Andre Schurrle, Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Max Kruse. There is no indication that Draxler is incapable of performing the same function. He has demonstrated, since making his debut three years ago for Schalke, that he can play anywhere across the attacking midfield line and even up front. 

This is a player who can become a great - provided he is at the right club. A wonderfully balanced, two-footed attacker with dribbling abilities, an eye for a pass and a goal, Draxler's got it all. And standing at roughly 6'2, he is a strapping physical specimen. Arsenal could have the next Cristiano Ronaldo on their hands. 

For that, €48m is small change indeed.