Wolfsburg have broken their transfer record by signing the Germany midfielder Julian Draxler from Schalke on the final day of the European transfer window. Draxler signed a five‑year deal estimated at €35m (£25.5m), which would make it the second biggest transfer inside the Bundesliga after Mario Götze’s €37m move to Bayern from Borussia Dortmund two years ago.
The Schalke director, Horst Heldt, gave no details but said it was the richest transfer in the club’s history.
In other deadline-day moves, Bayer Leverkusen signed Mexico striker Javier Hernandez to a three-year contract from Manchester United, who also sent Adnan Januzaj on loan to Borussia Dortmund.
German media estimate that Wolfsburg collected about €100m for Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic, who joined Manchester City and Internazionale, respectively. Draxler, who was in Germany’s World Cup winning squad in Brazil last year, is expected to fill the gap left by De Bruyne’s departure.
Wolfsburg also confirmed the arrival of the Brazil defender Dante from Bayern Munich on a three-year deal.
At the same time they released the attacking midfielder Aaron Hunt, who signed a three-year contract with Hamburg. Schalke took the midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season.
Elsewhere, Dortmund signed Januzaj on loan until the end of the season, while Bayer Leverkusen sent the Australia striker Robbie Kruse to Stuttgart, also on loan.
Mainz took the Colombian striker Jhon Córdoba on a season-long loan from Granada, with an option for a more permanent deal. The South Korea midfielder Koo Ja-cheol returned to Augsburg on a two-year a deal. Koo played for Augsburg on loan from Wolfsburg three years ago. He returned to Wolfsburg and was then sent to Mainz at the start of 2014.