Arsenal have moved ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to sign Schalke's Julian Draxler, according to the Daily Express.

The German is regarded as one of the hottest properties in Europe at present, and reports emerging from his homeland suggest Arsenal are in pole position to sign him.

Former Swindon, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United striker Jan Aage Fjortoft, now working as a journalist in Germany and Norway, reckons the Gunners have moved ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race to secure the 20-year-old's signature.

Fjortoft - understood to be the first man to announce Mesut Ozil was going to Arsenal - took to Twitter on Sunday night to confirm Arsenal were the 'big favourite' to sign Draxler, claiming the Schalke man speaks with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger 'often.'

Draxler was linked with a move to England in the summer, but opted to stay with the Bundesliga outfit, and signed a new deal.

But Fjortoft has pointed out he has a £38million buy out clause in his current deal that is valid every summer until the contract expires in 2018.

It now remains to be seen as to whether Fjortoft - who was spot on about the Ozil deal - has done it again, and the German youngster does indeed make the switch to the Emirates in the near future.

The player himself has already hinted of a possible move to North London, claiming last month he had spoken to Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski about life at the Emirates.

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