Arsenal: Julian Draxler, Mats Hummels Share Sad Similarity

Arsenal’s transfer business is always going to be highly questionable, but with admissions like Julian Draxler and Mats Hummels, they’re even more questionable.

Ask any Arsenal supporters out there what about Arsene Wenger frustrates them then most and I guarantee that at least half will say it’s his behavior in the transfer market. Whether it’s skipping out to Italy to ref a charity event when his team has never needed a striker more, or whether it’s signing Yaya Sanogo, sometimes Le Prof is just frustrating.

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Lately it’s gotten better. Signings Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez in the same window was a grand slam. He did then best he could do with the resources that were available, despite how it ultimately led to the same result (thus far).

But behind the scenes, there were some major question marks. First of all, arguably the best defender in the known world, Mats Hummels, made the move to Bayern Munich. This was before Shkodran Mustafi and many wondered why he wasn’t coming to North London.

Hummels cleared things up: “I don’t have to beat about the bush, and pretend they [Arsenal] wanted me. There was no offer,” he said, via the Express. That settled it, Wenger didn’t take the bid seriously enough to even submit one.

Now, Julian Draxler shares similar company. “Arsenal had been in contact since about two or three years ago but I was not in touch with them this winter [before joining PSG],” he said, also via the Express.

Again, contact, but no offer. It makes me think that Arsene Wenger will not submit a bid for a guy unless he is 100% sure he will sign.

He knew Xhaka would sign. He knew Mustafi would. Alexis and Ozil made it pretty clear in their interviews that they were sold as well.

But Draxler and Hummels maybe weren’t so set in stone.

Now, as far as Hummels is concerned, I won’t complain. Mustafi has worked out very well. But even considering all that, seriously, it’s Mats Hummels. At least submit an offer. He is an upgrade to everyone.

And Draxler has some of t he best potential in all of Europe. He is already showing that at PSG. Did he really think Arsenal’s offense was so set that it couldn’t use another creative mind?

Frustrating, like I said. Sometimes Wenger is just frustrating. And you can’t blame price either. Draxler was £38m, that’s completely reasonable. Hummels was £30m, which is less than Mustafi ended up costing.

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So why didn’t we bid on these guys? We may never know.