Paris Saint Germain are having the most extravagant summer window anyone can remember. They destroyed the world record to sign Neymar and are closing in on equally flabbergasting deals for Kylian Mbappe and Fabinho from their domestic rivals, Monaco.
In all the heavy-spending carnage, rumours have surfaced that many of their squad are on their way out of the French capital. Angel di Maria has drawn headlines, Serge Aurier may well be a Tottenham player soon, and Julian Draxler is destined for another move despite impressing throughout much of last season.
Draxler has been known as one of the world’s best youngsters for years.
A troublesome spell towards the end of his Schalke days and while at Wolfsburg led to a blockbuster move to Paris, where the immensely gifted German has somehow ended up surplus to requirement. Puzzling for those who saw him tear Barcelona apart last season, it could make for a fascinating saga towards the end of the window.
The German international remains at 3/10 to still be a Paris player come the closing of the window. A price that – should the rumours ring true – seems shockingly low given the widespread talk that Draxler is available, even if the fee does go follow the inflated trend of this summer.
Players of Draxler’s ability and ceiling are desired across the world on the rare occasion they become available. At just 23, the attacking midfielder has shown he can dominate against the best in the Champions League and would be a welcome addition to any squad in world football (with the exception, perhaps, of Real Madrid).
Paris’ potential sale is a reflection on their transfer business, rather than on the standards that Draxler can – and has – produce.
Liverpool surprisingly lead the running for Draxler at a price of 11/5. Should Philippe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona finally come to fruition (which is improbable at the time of writing) the German would certainly be on the replacements short list, and would be a real coup for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Fitting him into the team might be tricky with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, but Klopp would find a way to add Draxler’s creative spark.
Barcelona – who are ignoring all of Liverpool’s abrupt rejections to their Coutinho approaches – follow in this market. With Ousmane Dembele sealed, Draxler could well be a cut-price (and probably better) alternative to the Brazilian.
At 5/1, the odds are hardly in their favour, but it has to be worth considering given Barcelona’s state. They are a wounded animal post-Neymar, and a team in such disrepair needs spending and the arrival of quality like the German. It remains unlikely that PSG and Barcelona will be doing transfer deals together in the near-future, mind.
The two Milan clubs are rank outsiders at 20/1 and 30/1. AC Milan have given their squad not just a facelift this summer, but a complete rebuild. It has been costly and extravagant, but a late move for Draxler should not be ruled out as they continue to reassert themselves in Serie A.
The price of 30/1 is long for a club with their ambition and spending power, which makes it the clear outside bet as we ponder the future of a potential superstar.
