PSG’s Arsenal target Julian Draxler ‘tells Germany team-mates he wanted to join Barcelona this summer’
German forward snubbed move to Monaco as part of the deal that saw Kylian Mbappe move to Paris Saint-Germain in hope of Barca switch
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN forward Julian Draxler secretly revealed he was holding out for a summer switch to Barcelona, according to reports in Spain.
Draxler was linked with a move to Arsenal and snubbed a move to Monaco as a makeweight in PSG’s deal to sign Kylian Mbappe.
However, Mundo Deportivo claim the German international was hoping the Catalan giants would come knocking after failing to bag Philippe Coutinho and Angel Di Maria.
The report also claims Draxler’s agent, Roger Wittmann, travelled to Spain twice this summer to hold talks with the La Liga side about his client leaving the French capital.
Draxler joined PSG from Wolfsburg in January, but looks to have fallen down the pecking order following the big money arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Despite his late arrival from summer Confederations Cup duty with Germany, the 23-year-old has only featured from the bench playing just 12 minutes of football this season.
The German was on a list of players surplus to requirements as the big spending Ligue 1 side look to balance the books and comply with Uefa Financial Fair Play rules.
Draxler ended up remaining with PSG and despite the arrivals of Neymar and Mbappe, he is confident of getting enough game time this season.
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He told RTL: “I am greatly looking forward to playing with [Neymar and Mbappe] but, if players are bought for £200million or £165m, they have an advantage on paper.
“But I am confident – that’s why I didn’t think about leaving Paris.”
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