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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is desperate to end his team’s eight year trophy drought and it seems that this season can be the perfect time as he finds himself at the top of the Barclays Premier League table at the end of 22 game weeks. The EPL leaders have played excellent football till now, but still a lot has been talked about the lack of strikers in the team and the depth in front.
Olivier Giroud enjoyed a good run of form at the start of the season, but his goals are becoming drying up and he is looking increasingly fatigued. Theo Walcott will not be available before next season due to his injury and Nicklas Bendtner is not making his presence felt in the team. This leaves the Arsenal boss in a position where he needs to bolster his striking power if the side is going to have a realistic shot at the title.
The need for a strong forward option has prompted Arsene Wenger to pursue Schalke youngster Julian Draxler, who the Frenchman believes can be the answer to Arsenal’s striker crisis and can lead them to both European as well as domestic glory. Sources suggest that Julian Draxler has a £35 million release clause in his contract with the German club, but Arsenal seems eager to spend big for the talented German in order to fuel their silverware aspirations.
The German starlet is an exceptional prospect and is widely regarded as one of the best youth talents of the world at the moment, and he can be instrumental in bringing silverware to the London club. But it seems that he is not the perfect candidate for Arsenal to end their woes up front this season.
The biggest problem of signing Draxler for the striker role in Arsenal is his lack of experience in case of playing the role of an out-and-out striker. The German talent has established himself in the Bundesliga by scoring 4 goals and 5 assists for his club Schalke by playing the attacking midfielder role this season.
Wenger has been known for transforming Thierry Henry into a striking sensation from an attacking midfield player, and it seems that the Frenchman is looking to take Draxler as his next project. But Henry’s career was in need of a boost at that time and that helped Wenger to mould him into a new role. Draxler, on the other hand, has established himself in the supporting striker role by virtue of his excellent through balls and exceptional dribbling talents. So it will be really interesting to see Wenger trying to replicate the same success he had with Henry.
Secondly, Arsenal will be looking for a striker who will guarantee a15-20 goals per season if they are ready to shell out a staggering £35 million, and Draxler does not fit the bill completely. It is true that Arsenal has no shortage of creative midfielders and as a result, any striker will be provided by one of the best supply lines of EPL. But his 26 goals in 133 appearances are not exactly striker material, though one can argue that it is quite a good number for a developing winger.
Julian Draxler is currently sidelined with injury and it will make him unavailable till late March and as a result, he cannot be much help for the Arsenal side for the moment. The Arsenal side is already suffering from injuries picked up by attacking players and the Draxler deal will not be wise at the moment as it will do little to bolster their dreams of the title this season. It will also be very difficult for the German youngster to take the place of Olivier Giroud this season as he has formed a rapport with the midfielders and a sudden change can hamper the temperament of the team in the middle of the season.
The English Premier League is quite tough for foreign players to come and quickly get used to, and it has been seen often that most players take some time to settle. But Draxler will be arriving in the middle of Arsenal’s title pursuit, which will be an extremely difficult task. It will be expected of him to make an immediate impact which is a lot to ask from the youngster at the moment. The German international is at a point of his career where he needs nurturing, and this sort of pressure can be harmful for his growth.
There is absolutely no doubt about the talent of Julian Draxler and he is indeed of the world’s best young superstars at the moment. But the doubts remain as whether he is indeed that the answer to Arsenal’s striker woes at this moment in time.
