Podolski rules out January move to Arsenal

LUKAS PODOLSKI has ruled out a January transfer to Arsenal, according to his agent. Kon Schramm said a move in the Bundesliga winter break is “all but impossible”, citing the Cologne striker’s reluctance to endanger his chances of featuring for Germany in the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine this year.

“Cologne has priority right now; we have time in the summer,” said Schramm.

Despite Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger’s protestations to the contrary, there has been contact with the Polish-born forward in recent weeks. But Podolski, who has scored 14 goals in 16 league games this season, is wary of trading his automatic starting place for a new beginning in the Premier League at this stage of the campaign, especially in the light of Robin van Persie’s outstanding form.

The left-footed Podolski has 95 caps and has been a mainstay for the German national team since 2004, but he is faced with increasing competition from emerging talent such as Mario Götze (Dortmund) and Marco Reus (Borussia Mönchengladbach).

While Gervinho’s absence for the Africa Cup of Nations would provide the 26-year-old Podolski with an opportunity to play wide left for Arsenal, in the same role he has successfully filled for Joachim Löw’s team in recent years, the player is much happier as a centre forward. He is also very settled at his hometown club. On Monday, he revealed to Bild he was putting off planned nasal surgery so as not to miss training.

A possible deal is further complicated by Cologne’s stance. The 10th-placed club are €31 million in debt but will not accept Arsenal’s mooted offer of €12 million due to the player’s importance for the team and his contractual situation.

A third of Podolski’s transfer rights are held by the club sponsor SolarWorld, which partly financed his €10 million return from Bayern Munich in 2009.

Cologne would thus only receive €8 million, too meagre a return for the political and sporting fallout of selling their prize asset halfway through the season.

It would take an offer closer to €20 million to make the economic case for his departure more compelling, according to a club source. But Cologne will be forced to accept lower offers in the summer if Podolski refuses to extend his existing contract beyond 2013.