Sam’s arrival at Schalke could see Draxler join Ozil and co. in North London.
Schalke 04 are set to sign Germany winger Sidney Sam for next season, prompting speculation than Arsenal target Julian Draxler could leave the club in January or next summer.
German daily Bild reports that Bayer Leverkusen’s Sam, 25, will sign a three-year contract in a transfer worth €2.5m – his release clause.
The move will prompt further speculation that wonderkid Draxler, 20, could join compatriots Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are favourites to sign Draxler, who usually plays on the left wing, when the January transfer window opens according respected football journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft.
BREAKING NEWS! I understand Arsenal are big favourite to get Schalke’s Wonderkid Julian Draxler. I understand Wenger talk to him often #afc
— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) November 30, 2013
Draxler is one of the most promising young talents in world football, and has shone domestically in the Bundesliga, earning him 10 caps already for the brilliant German national side.
“I won’t switch in January but who knows what will happen in the summer? Arsenal is a very nice team,” Draxler was quoted by The Sun recently.
“I sometimes speak to Mesut or Per about the club and they’ve only good words.
“They always have very young players and play attractive football.
“But I’d better not speak too much because I think the people at Schalke would not like to hear it.”
Sam, meanwhile, made the last of his five appearances for Germany in last month’s 1-0 win over England at Wembley.
Meanwhile Fortuna Dusseldorf’s goalkeeper Fabian Giefer, 23, will also be given a four-year deal with Schalke at the end of the current season.
Bundesliga side Schalke have failed to settle on a regular goalkeeper since Germany’s Manuel Neuer joined Bayern Munich in July 2011 and Giefer is a highly regarded prospect having risen up through Germany’s junior ranks.
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