Julian Draxler is reportedly set to be fined €100,000 for his interview with Bild in which he expressed his desire to leave Wolfsburg.

The 22-year-old forward, who has been on Arsene Wenger’s wish list for a number of years, essentially rang the dinner bell earlier in the week, insisting that he’d already informed coach Dieter Hecking and sporting director Klaus Allofs of his intention to leave weeks ago.

The Bundesliga club have since come back with a statement claiming that they’re not going to sell him this summer and that they hope they can resolve the issue.

Well, if what Bild‘s reporting is true and the club are going to fine him €100,000, I doubt that’s going to exactly smooth things over…

I do see where the club’s coming from. If a player was unhappy at Arsenal and very publicly said they wanted to leave, there has to be consequences if he does indeed stay at the club. His comments were even harsher than Robin van Persie’s when he released that bizarre statement on his website about not agreeing with the direction Arsenal were going in.

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On the flip side, Draxler is desperate. He’s got the likes of Arsenal and reportedly Everton interested in him and he’s stuck playing for a club that he feels has gone back on several agreements. His comments were almost a plea for a ‘top European club’ to come and get him. Now Wolfsburg have slapped a £50m price tag on him, that probably won’t happen.

It’s a messy situation.

Are Arsenal still interested?

I don’t think we are. According to the Ornacle, we’re not after Draxler or Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez and while I don’t want that to be true, I reckon we’ll get a striker, maybe a centre-back and that’ll be it.

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