Manchester United have reportedly tabled a voluminous £38.5 million bid for German attacker Julian Draxler. The 22-year-old had joined Wolfsburg at the start of the 2015/16 season.
As reported by Transfermarketweb, a staggering £38.5 million offer has been made by United for the services of star midfielder Julian Draxler. The German side, however, are against the idea of selling their player, but a bid of that magnitude may force them to open negotiations.
Draxler would certainly bring a lot of flair to the Red Devils’ squad that was criticized for the lack of creativity this past season. The German is a left-winger by trade, but is also a fashionable pick as a number ten.
Despite his ferocity and technical prowess, it has not been the best of seasons for Julian Draxler. As a winger, he had to fill in the void of the departing Kevin de Bruyne and it wasn’t smooth sailing for him.
In 40 appearances, Draxler managed to score only 9 goals and tally 7 assists. While these stats would make good reading for most players, it is on the lower end for this dynamic German winger.
Where should Draxler ideally play at Manchester United?
The German has been a mainstay on the left flank for Wolfsburg and has predominantly performed well in that position. According to WhoScored, Draxler featured in 16 matches playing on the left-hand side, and accounted for 4 goals and as many assists. When moved to a central role, in behind the striker, his productivity was staggering as he tallied 2 goals and 3 assists in only 7 matches played.
In the 2015/16 campaign, United struggled to find an out-and-out central attacking midfielder who could constantly create chances for the striker.
Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney, Jesse Lingard and Marouane Fellaini were all tried and tested in that position, but all of them lacked the poise that would’ve helped the team to produce more attempts on goal.
Thus, a number ten role for Draxler could benefit both the player as well as the club. He could play off the striker and rotate positions when needed. Given his tendency to drift wide, the German could also make way for a deeper midfielder to advance to the attacking third.
