Matthaus knows a winner when he sees one but he has his misgivings about Draxler.
If you watched on in awe as Julian Draxler scythed through opponents while gracing the turf with his immaculate control and clairvoyant anticipation during Euro 2016, you won’t need reminding of the talent at his disposal. The sight of a player with such innate natural ability sticks in the mind after all.
Yet, avid Bundesliga watchers will tell you that there’s two sides to the baby-faced 23-year-old. While he’s more than capable of gliding past dazed defenders on the biggest stage of all, he’s equally capable of choking on the bread and butter.
Though Wolfsburg’s current league position, far closer to the relegation zone than the European spots, cannot be blamed solely on the performances of their club-record signing, the fact that he was dropped from the squad entirely for the 5-0 thrashing by Bayern Munich, a week after coming off the bench to boos from his own supporters, casts doubt over the character of player whose quality has never been in question.
“I would like to say that as a big club I would not want Draxler at the moment,” German legend Lothar Matthaus told Bild recently, cited by talkSPORT. “Partly because of his weakness in character and, on the other hand, since he is a talent but has not yet proved it permanently at a high level.
“Also I do not believe that the sale of Julian Draxler will bring Wolfsburg more than [what they paid for him] despite his long-term contract.
“His market value has suffered severely in recent years.”
The Sun claim that Liverpool have moved ahead of Arsenal and PSG in pursuit of his £34 million-priced signature, meaning they would be paying only a fraction more than Wolfsburg did when plucking him from Schalke in 2015.
According to The Independent, Everton were also ready to pay a similar fee in the summer though it should act as a warning sign, even in this increasingly inflated market, Draxler’s value has risen only fractionally.
Furthermore, Jurgen Klopp and Ronald Koeman demand such high levels of commitment and character from each and every one of their players, not to mention a big-money marquee signing.
Therefore, Matthaus’ comments should induce a few second thoughts.
The linking of one of Germany’s biggest talents to Klopp’s Liverpool revolution is not a surprise, and the former Dortmund boss may be able to guide the Wolfsburg man in the right direction should he head to Anfield, but with the Reds doing well despite Philippe Coutinho’s recent absence, is he even needed?
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