Numerous reports from Germany have claimed that Arsenal’s chase for Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler has been successful.

Arsenal have had Draxler on the radar since the Summer, where the signing of Mesut Ozil glossed over any possible move for the youngster, however he now looks set to join despite signing a contract extension to 2018.

Deal Sealed?

A fee has supposedly been agreed between the German side and Arsenal, according to former Norway striker and German pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft.

Fjortoft played for Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Barnsley in England, and took to Twitter to reveal the breaking news:

@JanAageFjortoft: “Re: Draxler I understand that Schalke and Arsenal have agreed a fee. If he will leave now I don't know. But this is latest info #afc”

Draxler has 5 goals and 8 assists in all competitions for Schalke this season, including 3 goals in Champions League action. His side would face Real Madrid in the next round of the Champions League should he decide to stay, and a good performance in the Santiago Bernabeu would see his price tag soar.

Not that the fee supposedly agreed is anything to be sniffed at, with figures in the region of £36million banded around as the final offer.

This is reportedly down to Draxler’s buyout clause, within his contract signed in May 2013, which entails how Draxler cannot leave for less than €45million – roughly £36million.

The clause is the largest of its kind in Germany, and prompted lorries with the slogan “Julian Draxler: with pride and passion until 2018” to roll through the streets of the Ruhr area at the time. Yet Arsenal’s offer could look too good to refuse for the cash-strapped Schalke.

Centre-Forward

Wenger has already told of how he would use Draxler as a striker due to the influx of attacking midfielders at the Emirates currently.

Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey, Lukas Podolski and Jack Wilshere can all play in the attacking midfield role, and so the Frenchman will try to switch the 20-year-old into a Robin van Persie type forward.

Van Persie left for Manchester United at the beginning of last season, however was the League’s most prolific scorer in his time at the Emirates.

Spurs had tried to scupper the Draxler deal by stopping attacking midfielder Lewis Holtby returning to Schalke on loan, as a replacement for an outgoing Draxler. Holtby left Schalke last January for just £1.5million however has failed to inspire in a failing Tottenham side, and a move back to Germany looked likely.

Yet Arsenal’s interest in Draxler forced them to pull the plug on the deal.

Wenger has remained coy on the deal, speaking last night:

"We don't rule it out but at the moment I cannot announce anything."

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