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Reports: Draxler "Desperate" to Join Arsenal, Deal Is Close

Both the Mirror and the Telegraph are reporting that a deal is close for the Schalke winger to come to Arsenal by month's end. Oh please oh please oh please.

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"Please, please, no applause until I actually sign."
"Please, please, no applause until I actually sign."
Alex Grimm

The Mirror's John Cross and The Telegraph's Matt Law both published stories several hours ago asserting that Julian Draxler is eager for a transfer to Arsenal, and doesn't want to wait until summer to make the move to North London.

Cross reports:

Arsenal went for talks in Germany this week and Draxler plus his representatives have made it clear they are keen on a move to London.

But the price is still likely to be a sticking point as Schalke are ready to cash in now but not for less than £35m, while Draxler has a £40m buy-out clause which is valid in the summer.

Law's story is similar to Cross', but specifically names a £36 million bid to move the German international to the Emirates. He notes:

Sources in Germany on Friday night claimed Arsenal have agreed a fee with Schalke that would make Draxler the second most expensive player in Arsenal’s history and that ­negotiations with the player have already started.

Schalke could stipulate that they want to keep Draxler until the end of the season, but the 20-year-old is believed to be keen to move before the transfer window shuts.

The reports follow Norweigan journalist and knower-of-many-things-German Jan Aage Fjortoft, who tweeted this while Arsenal was in the process of dismantling Coventry City in their FA Cup match:

Cross had his own series of tweets, post-Arsene Wenger press conference, that acknowledged how awesomely coy Wenger is being:

Your pants have been warned.