Berlin // VfL Wolfsburg on Monday signed Julian Draxler from Schalke 04 as a replacement for Belgium playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, with the Germany international signing a five-year contract, both clubs confirmed.
Having sold De Bruyne to Manchester City on Sunday, Wolfsburg have moved fast to strengthen their squad by signing Brazil defender Dante, 31, from Bayern Munich on a three-year deal and now Draxler, 21, in the following 24 hours.
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Draxler spent 14 years at Schalke and Gelsenkirchen has lost one of its favourite sons.
The deal is reported to cost Wolfsburg around 35 million euros ($39.19m) and after Dante cost around four million, Wolfsburg have already spent a good slice of the 79.8m euros they have supposedly received for the De Bruyne transfer.
“Julian has been on our wish list and after the Kevin de Bruyne transfer, we could make it possible,” said Wolfsburg’s director of sport Klaus Allofs.
“We’re convinced Julian will develop further with us.”
Draxler has won 15 caps for Germany and was a non-playing member of the squad which won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He discussed the transfer with national coach Joachim Loew before signing for Wolfsburg.
“Wolfsburg is a new challenge for me and I want to keep playing at the top level,” said Draxler, who was lured to Wolfsburg by the chance to play Champions League football this season with Schalke in the Europa League.
“I am looking forward to playing in the Champions League with Wolfsburg and want to play for the title here in the coming years,” said Draxler.
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