Julian Draxler is the next big name to leave Europe for a stint in the Middle East. The 29-year-old attacker and midfielder is exchanging Paris Saint-Germain for Al-Ahli SC in Qatar, the club announced through official channels. Draxler has signed a two-season contract.
The Qataris reportedly paid nine million euros to PSG, which wanted to get rid of Draxler. The 58-time international of the German national team spent last season on loan for SL Benfica, but was unable to make any progress there. Draxler made eighteen appearances for the team of ex-PSV player Roger Schmidt, scoring two goals. The right foot suffered from several injuries, which forced him to miss 25 games.
??: Julian #Draxler is a new player of Al-Ahli SC ???? Contract until 2025 ??@SkySportDE ???? pic.twitter.com/bZQvTaYemC
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) September 18, 2023
Draxler was not registered by PSG for the group stage of the Champions League and had been training separately from the group for some time. His departure to Qatar brings an end to a period of 6.5 years in the French capital. Les Parisiens paid more than 36 million euros to VfL Wolfsburg at the beginning of 2017 to release him. Draxler managed to score 26 goals and produce 41 assists in 198 games for PSG. The German won fourteen prizes with the French.
Luis Enrique doesn’t want to know anything about ‘sporting crisis’
PSG take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday evening and will hope to do better than in the league games so far. Luis Enrique’s team is in disappointing fifth place in Ligue 1 after five matches and has only managed to win two games so far. Two of the remaining three matches were drawn.
“It’s true that we didn’t start well,” Enrique begins at the press conference prior to the match against Dortmund. “That happens to me every time I start at a new club. This is a team with a lot of ambition and I am very happy with that. I know it is always difficult to ask for the time, but we will play good football and we will get good results. I know that for sure. Players just have to understand how I want to play, that’s a process.”