Heldt: Draxler out until new year

Julian Draxler could be out until the new year after sustaining an apparent hamstring injury in Schalke’s 1-0 win over Augsburg on Friday.

Draxler did not even last a minute of the Bundesliga clash, limping off after seemingly aggravating the injury he first suffered playing for Germany at the start of September and had been nursing since.

And Schalke general manager Horst Heldt does not believe the 21-year-old will be back in action until 2015.

“He was again injured and it looks like a serious muscle injury,” he said. “I do not expect Julian to play any more in this first half of the season.”

Heldt also revealed Schalke have held talks with striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar over a new contract.

“There has been a conversation, and it was a good conversation,” he said. “We will now go into detail.

“We have a schedule with his advisor and will settle this in peace as we have done in the past.”

Friday’s victory was Schalke’s third in four fixtures in all competitions since Roberto Di Matteo succeeded Jens Keller.