German talisman puts Premier League clubs on high alert
It looks increasingly likely that Lukas Podolski will complete a protracted move away from Cologne this summer after publicly announcing his disappointment with some of the club’s transfer policies.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have all been rumoured to be interested in the German international, whose contract with the Bundesliga outfit runs out next summer.
Podolski is quote by ESPN as saying:
“I was told that a team would be built around me so that we could establish outrselves first in the top eight and then in the top six, I had lots of promises made to me before my move here and I wanted to play my part in achieving these things together.”
He added: When you see what perspectives were shown to me and what has actually happened in the end, it is disappointing.”
These comments only point to the conclusion that the attacker will leave the German club in the summer with interest in his signature still understood to be high.
The 26 year-old may be keen on the move too, with Cologne’s form appearing to drop off in the second half of the season.
Podolski has made twenty appearances for Cologne this season, scoring 15 goals and making seven assists in the process, however many see that the talisman is carrying his side to some degree.
Arsenal are understood to be looking for attackers with Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh both expected to head for the Emirates Stadium exit in 2012.
Arsene Wenger is currently looking to retain a top four finish and whether he does or doesn’t at the end of the current season, the Frenchman will be expected to make purchases this summer.
Podolski would be expected to command an asking price of around £8m, some £8m more than Cologne paid for his services in 2009.
