Julian Draxler Says His PSG Role Will Not Depend on Neymar Amid Transfer Rumours

Paris Saint-Germain forward Julian Draxler has said Neymar's potential exit from the club will have no effect on his role, and he is not thinking about a return to Germany to join Bayern Munich.

Draxler's future in the French capital has been a topic of discussion for months, and rumours are once again rife this summer, per Goal's Dan Sheridan.

The 25-year-old has been linked to Bayern, while team-mate Neymar is said to be of interest to both former club Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Per the report, the questions surrounding Neymar have led to manager Thomas Tuchel taking a wait-and-see approach with Draxler.

The former Schalke and Wolfsburg star doesn't think the Brazilian's fate will impact his, however: "I have played many different roles in Paris before, so I do not think my role is necessarily related to Neymar's."

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He was also asked about the speculation regarding a return to Germany, but he quickly shot it down: "For me, the topic does not exist. I have already said it, so I do not know why the rumour does not stop." 

The speculation went up considerably after SportBild's Christian Falk reported Bayern director Hasan Salihamidzic was in Paris to look at a "new player":

Draxler joined Les Parisiens in 2017 after a short spell with Wolfsburg, but he has failed to nail down a spot as a starter since. His start to life in Paris was promising, but the club invested in the duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe the summer after his arrival, and it negatively impacted his playing time.

Last season, the German made 22 Ligue 1 starts, but he was frequently played further back in midfield as opposed to his preferred attacking positions.

Bayern could be in the market for a new attacking midfielder. The German champions played James Rodriguez in such a role last season but opted not to turn his loan deal into a permanent transfer.

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Neymar's future in Paris looks murky at best. Tuchel told RMC (h/t Get French Football News) he knew about his desire to leave the club before the Copa America even began, and the Brazilian has yet to play a minute of pre-season football after he didn't turn up in time for training.

Per Goal's Sam France, he fuelled the rumours of a return to Barcelona when he named beating PSG 6-1 in the UEFA Champions League as one of his best football moments.

He's also been linked with Blaugrana rivals Real, and the Independent (h/t Goal) has reported Los Blancos could use Gareth Bale to land the 27-year-old:

Both La Liga giants have already made major investments in their attack this summer, however, with Antoine Griezmann now at Barcelona and Eden Hazard joining Real.

As a result, they may find it hard to put together a financial package that entices PSG to sell.