There has been an exodus of PSG players to Qatari clubs.
German footballer Julian Draxler made a switch to Al Sadd on Monday, his club confirmed on social media.
Draxler – who had played for Paris Saint-Germain since 2017, is signing a two-year contract after a transfer fee of €9 million ($9.6 million).
“We welcome Julian Draxler, who is a great addition to our club,” said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ahli Club, Abdullah Yousef Al Mulla, after signing the contract.
Al Mulla expressed hope that the new recruit would boost Al Ahli’s campaign in the ongoing season.
The Brigadiers suffered an abysmal start losing all their first three games in Qatar’s top flight.
They sit 11th in the Qatar Stars League with no points and a negative six-goal difference.
Great expectations
“Draxler’s inclusion means a lot for Al Ahli as we are looking for best results to make our fans happy. I would like to thank the authorities who helped in his transfer,” Al Mulla added.
Draxler thanked the club for a warm welcome, hoping to give his best for the side.
Draxler is a two-footed winger known for his speed and shot power. He is often described as “tall, fast, and with an eye for goal” while being deployed on the left, in attacking midfield, and on the right.
The former PSG midfielder had made over 190 appearances in six years with the Ligue 1 club.
Still, his form meant that he wasn’t regularly picked in recent years, spending last season on a loan stint at Benfica.
Draxler had previously played for Schalke and Wolfsburg.
While Draxler has scored seven goals in 58 international games, he has not recently featured for his country. However, he was part of the German squad which won the FIFA World Cup in 2014.
Draxler’s teammates Marco Verratti and Abdou Diallo have also moved to Qatar this season, with both players joining Al Arabi.
Housni joins the fun
Meanwhile, Monday night also saw the inclusion of Housni to Al Sadd.
The loan transfer would see the youngster join a side that was just held to a goalless draw in the AFC Champions League.
The French Moroccan is expected to stay with the Qatari side for this season.
While the youngster didn’t get a chance to feature for PSG last season with only 14-minute appearances, his time in the UEFA youth league has impressed most.
The PSG youngster is expected to get much-needed first-time minutes to develop his already great pace and execution.
Is there any foul play?
The transfer of the three players (Draxler, Veratti, and Diallo) in a span of weeks has created tension with UEFA.
UEFA has started an investigation of PSG’s financial fair play practices. PSG’s link with Qatar and the Expo Stars League is going to be investigated for conflict of interest.
If there is a guilty verdict, Paris would lose 85 million euros that would not be computed in the ‘Fair Play’ financial, in addition to confronting a sanction that could derail further player sales.
