From rising star to Germany regular, Julian Draxler's career has long been trending upward, but he's struggled for playing time since joining Paris Saint-Germain. Will Neymar's injury offer him a pre-World Cup boost?
Image: picture-alliance/GES/M. Ibo Güngör
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Six months ago, things were looking pretty good for Julian Draxler. After securing the move away from Wolfsburg that he'd long been angling for, he'd become a regular in Paris Saint-Germain's version of the Galacticos, captained Germany to a Confederations Cup win and had the inside track toward a starting spot in Germany's World Cup defense in Russia.
Since Neymar arrived at the Parc des Princes, there's been little doubt that he's the star of the show, with 29 goals in 29 games to go along with the headline-grabbing birthday parties and public rows over penalty duties. But his arrival has been less than positive for Draxler, who has completed 90 minutes just six times for his club this season, with only a handful of cameo appearances in his favored position on the left wing.
Frustrations evident
After PSG's 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 — in which Draxler played just nine minutes — the 24-year-old let his frustrations slip to German broadcaster ZDF.
“In the Bernabeu, you don’t want to watch 84 minutes from the bench but, with our squad, you don’t always get the choice,” he said.
But Neymar's metatarsal fracture, which he suffered in PSG's 3-0 win over Marseille on Sunday, may have given the German international a renewed path towards playing time. The Brazilian superstar will have surgery on his foot in his home country on Saturday, and Brazil's national team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, said he could miss two-and-a-half to three months.
Draxler would surely revel in another game against a team he dismantled while playing for Wolfsburg in 2016 . However, his place is not totally assured, with Argentinians Angel di Maria or Javier Pastore among the alternatives for the Parisian club.
A chance to make his mark
Despite the competition, Emery, who has often tried to shoehorn the German in to a central midfield since Neymar's arrival, spoke highly of Draxler in December as rumors swirled about a switch to the Premier League.
"He's in a constant evolution and he still has a lot of energy. At PSG, Draxler is in very good hands, he's a great contributor to our game, he's learning a lot," Emery said.
Draxler (center, right) was part of Germany's 2014 World Cup winning squadImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Stavrakis
"I talk to him a lot and I'm very demanding with him and he's one of those very ambitious players and he shows that with good performances, also for the national team, and he's a very important player for us."
As Emery suggested, Draxler is a key man for Joachim Löw and his name is surely inked in to Germany's 23-man squad for Russia 2018. But, with Leroy Sané impressing for Manchester City, Julian Brandt showing flickers of form at Bayer Leverkusen and Marco Reus impressing in his latest comeback at Borussia Dortmund, Draxler needs regular playing time to find the form and fitness that would secure him a starting spot.
With another crunch game against Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday before the Madrid game and prestige international friendlies against Spain and Brazil at the end of March, Neymar's absence could offer an opportunity for PSG's half-forgotten man to restate his case.
The top 10 most expensive football transfers
Clubs have dug deep into their pockets in this year's summer transfer window, with several players changing clubs for big price tags. But who is the most expensive player of all time?
Image: picture-alliancedpa/AP/K. Zihnioglu
10 — Virgil van Dijk
In the 2017-18 season, Jürgen Klopp desperately needed a defender. Liverpool found a way to supply him with one, spending a reported 75 million pounds (€84.2 million, $101.3 million) on Virgil van Dijk in January, making the Dutchman the most expensive defender of all time.
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom/S. Bellis
9 — Romelu Lukaku
After Lukaku scoring 26 goals for Everton in the 2016-17 season, Manchester United shelled out a reported 75 million pounds (€84.8 million, $96.8 million) for the Belgian striker. He rewarded the Red Devils for their investment right away, scoring seven goals in his first seven Premier League games.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/N. French
8 — Gonzalo Higuain
Scoring 36 goals in 35 league appearances, Gonzalo Higuain had a memorable 2015-2016 season at Napoli. Italy's record champions Juventus were eager to sign the Argentinian striker, paying €90 million ($99 million) for his services. After two seasons in Turin, he moved to AC Milan on loan, a deal which could become permanent in 2019.
Image: picture alliance/NurPhoto/G. Maffia
7 — Gareth Bale
Welsh superstar Gareth Bale became the world's most expensive player in 2013 after he transferred to Real Madrid for a fee of €100 million (then $132 million) after a six-year stint at Tottenham Hotspur. His move remains the most costly signing ever finalized by the Spanish club.
Image: picture alliance/ZUMA Press
6 — Paul Pogba
Three years after Bale's mega-move, Paul Pogba dethroned the Welshman as the world's most expensive player when he moved from Juventus to Manchester United for €105 million ($116.6 million). Pogba had come through the Red Devils' youth setup before leaving on a free transfer.
Image: Reuters/A. Yates
5 — Ousmane Dembele
Dembele was one of Dortmund's most exciting and promising players, so much so that only after a year of playing in Germany, Barcelona came knocking for his services. The French forward transferred to Barca for €105 million ($123.9 million) with up to €42 million in bonus payments. The deal is the most expensive sale by a German club in football history.
Image: Reuters/A. Gea
4 — Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal's most capped player could appear on this list twice. His €94 million (then $132.5 million) move to Real Madrid shattered the world transfer record. After four Ballon d'Or, four Champions League and two La Liga titles with the <i>Galacticos</i>, he completed a €117 million ($136.9 million) move to Juventus in July.
Image: picture-alliance/Pacific Press/A. Gandolfo
3 — Philippe Coutinho
Want to talk about profit? Liverpool purchased Philippe Coutinho from Inter Milan in January 2013 for €13 million ($17.3 million at the time). Five years later, the English club sold the Brazilian playmaker for a reported €120 million ($145.2 million) fee, which could increase to €160 million with bonuses. A pretty good turnover, right?
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/X. Bonilla
2 — Kylian Mbappe
Before he was a World Cup winner with France, Mbappe was a highly coveted teenage talent. After a bursting onto the season with Monaco in 2016-17, the French forward moved to Paris Saint-Germain for a total package worth €180 million (€214 million) — a €45 million loan for 2017-18 followed by a €135 million transfer.
Image: imago/PanoramiC/JBAutissier
1 — Neymar
Who could afford to buy a player for €222 million ($262 million)? Qatari-owned French giants Paris Saint-Germain are one of the very few clubs in the globe capable of it. In the summer of 2017, Brazilian star Neymar received an offer he could just not refuse from PSG. The Brazilian left Lionel Messi's shadow in Barcelona for the French capital, becoming the world's most expensive footballer.
