Julian Draxler joining PSG from Wolfsburg

Julian Draxler is getting his Christmas wish, a move to Paris Saint-Germain from Wolfsburg

After months of speculation, Julian Draxler is officially joining PSG from Wolfsburg. The 23-year old will sign a four and a half-year deal with the reigning Ligue 1 champions that will run until June 2021.

Draxler should instantly improve a struggling PSG squad that currently sits third in the table. OGC Nice currently lead the French league, sitting five points ahead of PSG. The French champions are reportedly paying 35 million Euros for Draxler. The deal has the potential to rise another 10 million Euros if Draxler meets specific performance bonuses.

Wolfsburg signed Draxler in the 2015 fall transfer window from Schalke 04, after a potential move to Italian champions Juventus was rejected. Expectations were high for Wolfsburg and Draxler in 2015. The previous season, the team finished second in the Bundesliga behind player of the year Kevin De Bruyne.

But Draxler and Wolfsburg had a disappointing season domestically, despite reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time. This season has been a disappointment again for Wolfsburg, currently sitting 13th in the table at the winter break and just three points clear of the regulation zone. However, Wolfsburg’s fall could continue as Volkswagen are expected to further reduce the team’s budget following their emissions scandal. 

In all competitions for Wolfsburg – 34 matches – Draxler scored nine goals. In his six previous seasons with Schalke, Draxler appeared in 170 contests, scoring 30 goals.

Draxler has made 27 appearances for Germany in his international career and scored three goals. Draxler was a member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning squad. Manager Joachim Low started Draxler in the majority of Germany’s game at 2016 European Championship. Germany reached the semi-finals before losing to host country France.