The transfer of ex-Schalker Julian Draxler from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Ahli in Qatar is perfect.

What had become apparent in the past few days is now official: Julian Draxler is leaving Paris Saint-Germain and moving to Qatar to join Al-Ahli. The club announced that the 29-year-old midfielder signed a two-year contract until summer 2025.

“I am happy to move to the Qatari League and play for the club,” Draxler was quoted as saying about the transfer. The transfer fee is apparently set to be nine million euros, which would make Draxler Al-Ahli’s record transfer. Qatar has an excellent reputation in general sport and especially in football, the former Schalke player is quoted as saying in the club’s statement.

Draxler has played no role at top French club PSG in recent times. He spent the second half of the pre-season on loan at Benfica Lisbon. He had moved to Paris from VfL Wolfsburg at the beginning of 2017 and played 198 competitive games for the serial champions (26 goals, 41 assists).

In France, he won the championship and the cup four times each. In 2020, he played in the final of the Champions League with Paris against FC Bayern. In Qatar, Draxler will meet his former teammate Marco Veratti, who moved to Al-Arabi from PSG.

Meanwhile, things are not looking so rosy at Al-Ahli: The club is in eleventh and penultimate place in the Qatar Stars League, and the start to the season was a complete failure with three defeats from three games.

Draxler, too, is now expected to help turn things around. The 2014 World Cup winner comes from the youth team of FC Schalke 04, where he spent a total of 14 years, maturing into a Bundesliga professional and international player. Draxler scored 29 goals and provided 29 assists in 168 games for Schalke. Instead, the Gladbeck native is about to make his fifth professional stop: at Al-Ahli in Qatar. (with sid and dpa)