Transfer news: Arsenal make last-ditch attempt to lure Julian Draxler this month

Wenger would prefer to do his business early to prevent a bidding war in the summer

Arsenal make last-ditch attempt to lure Julian Draxler this month (Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to make one last attempt to sign Schalke star Julian Draxler this month - despite initially appearing willing to wait until the summer.

It was rumoured yesterday that Wenger would be willing to let Lukas Podolski go in the opposite direction.

According to The Mirror, representatives of the North London club are due to travel to Germany to discuss an immediate transfer for Schalke's £30m-rated midfielder.

Much like Robin van Persie, he intends to convert the German international into a forward over time.

It remains to be seen whether the Bundesliga club will be willing to lose their prized asset mid-season, but the Gunners are quietly optimistic that their offer will be accepted.

The Premier League leaders, a solitary point clear of Manchester City, are wary that they;ll face more heated competition if they wait until the summer and want to tie Draxler to a long-term deal now.

Meanwhile Wenger has declared Arsenal's barren FA Cup run is fuelling his determination to lift the trophy this season and for a fifth time in his career.

"I have been lucky enough to win it four times, but unfortunately we haven't won it for a long time now so in fact I am even more focused to do well in this competition now," Wenger said in the February editon of the official Arsenal magazine.

"I would love the club to win the FA Cup again."

Wenger added: "The magic of the cup is when you get close to the end of the competition, the dream becomes more real.

"We all had that dream as kids, we were educated by seeing people lifting cups that became our dream - to make it come true is one of our targets."