Arsenal Weigh up £40m Bid for Julian Draxler in January - Report

Arsenal are planning a £40m swoop for Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler in January, according to Goal.com.

Arsene Wenger is in the market for a centre forward and the Frenchman believes that he can convert the attacking midfielder into a striker as he looks for options through the centre, with Theo Walcott currently out for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The manager is a huge fan of the 20-year-old and was linked with a move last summer. However, Mesut Ozil's arrival on deadline day scuppered any possible move for the German but it is believed that the Gunners have renewed their interest and are willing to bring him to the Emirates either in January or in the summer.

The Gunners are desperately searching for a centre-forward to act as cover for Olivier Giroud who was on the sidelines after their game against Newcastle where he suffered an ankle injury. However, with Nicklas Bendtner also out for up to three weeks after an awkward fall against Cardiff, Wenger has stepped up his ambition and is ready to go all the way to secure his side's first league title in nearly a decade.

Schalke are believed to be unwilling to sell in January, with the player himself also hesitant on a move before the Brazil World Cup which is set to take place later this year. Should they fail to land him in this window, the Gunners are likely to come back again next summer and meet his release clause.

However, with the Gunners refusing to relent in the title race, Wenger is trying to get the deal done in January, which will bolster them massively and give them an impetus to surge forward in their title charge.

Draxler has previously expressed his desire to move to the Emirates and will join an illustrious bunch of Germans at the club by the likes of Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil, Per Merteacker and Serge Gnabry.

"You never know what happens in the summer but Arsenal is a very, very nice team. They always have very young players, they play attractive football and that's what I like. But I better not speak too much about it because tomorrow I can read that I like to play for Arsenal. I think the people at Schalke would not like to hear that," Draxler said.