Schalke have rejected a €22m (£15.5m) offer from Juventus for the Germany forward Julian Draxler.
Draxler, 21, who was a target for Arsenal last summer, was reported to have agreed personal terms with the Italian champions. However, Schalke have insisted he will not be allowed to leave unless they receive their valuation of the player, which is understood to be €30m (£21.3m)
“We have checked the offer, which was out of the question for us,” said Schalke’s sporting director, Horst Heldt.
Draxler’s contract still has three years to run but he is now no longer subject to a release clause after it expired at the end of last month.
“In a very realistic way, there are many proposals in the market. Today we presented an offer based on our evaluations and I think there’s still a big gap,” the Juventus director Beppe Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“That was one of the many proposals we have put forward during this market. The player belongs to Schalke 04, so obviously it ultimately depends on them.
“We are in no rush but the squad at [Massimiliano] Allegri’s disposal is solid and we are trying to add a few cherries to the cake. We are working on a playmaker, or at least a midfielder with certain characteristics, and a left-back who can act as an alternative to Patrice Evra while Kwadwo Asamoah recovers from his injury.
“We are looking for eclectic players, who can allow us to set out the team in various different ways. We are looking for a midfielder with certain characteristics.”
