Schalke star Julian Draxler admits club chief Horst Heldt kept him at arm's length over offers from Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
Draxler, speaking for the first time since the closure of the transfer window at the weekend, admitted he was aware of the interest but remained happy to stay in Gelsenkirchen.
He said: "The fact is, Horst Heldt had offers for me this winter.
"I'm happy about that. On the other hand, it shows the respect I enjoy at this club, even if Heldt refuses without me being asked.
"I wasn't too aware of everything that was going on in the media because I was concentrating on getting back to fitness.
"Of course I wasn't completely unaware of everything that was being said but I know the truth of the story so I didn't let it drive me crazy."
