ARSENAL HUENDA IKAMKOSA DRAXLER

The Gunners continue to negotiate with the
Bundesliga club over the highly-rated 20-year-
old, but their general manager believes they
will be able to keep old of him

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt expects
Julian Draxler to stay at the club despite
Arsenal's keen interest.
Goal understands the Gunners have sent a
delegation to Germany to negotiate a deal
before the end of the transfer window on
Friday.
But with talks still ongoing between the clubs,
Heldt is confident that Draxler will stay until at
least the end of the season, and that the
forward has not said he wants to leave this
month.
"I am very sure that Julian will play for us in
the second half of the season - probably even
longer," he told reporters.
"There is always anyone interested. We don't
want to sell the player. He was nowhere near
telling us that he wants to leave the club this
winter."
Heldt even denied that he had been in talks
with Arsenal about a deal: "I checked my office
to see if somebody is sitting there but I didn't
find anyone."
However, Goal understands that the two clubs
are still locked in talks for the attacker, while
Schalke are keen on finding a replacement
before sanctioning a deal.
The Gunners have drawn up a contingency plan
should they not close a transfer for Draxler,
though, with Alvaro Morata and Miroslav Klose
both identified as potential alternatives.