Since signing Lukas Podolski, Arsene Wenger hasn’t quite known what to do with him. Everybody’s well aware that he’s one of the best finishers in world football, but he lacks quality in other parts of his game. Yes, he’s got a good cross on him, but he doesn’t have any legs and he’s not a particularly hard worker.
He’s not fit or competitive enough to play directly down the middle. He doesn’t offer his full-back enough protection when he plays down the flanks. As a result, Arsene Wenger has found it difficult to fit him into this team. It’s hard to believe, but a player with 121 caps for a fantastic Germany international side just hasn’t made the grade at The Emirates.
Still, there’s no doubting that he can be effective on his day. In 81 appearances for Arsenal, he’s found the back of the net 31 times. Given that many of these appearances were as a substitute, this is a rather impressive return. He has one of the best strike rates at the club.
Unfortunately, the player has grown increasingly antsy due to his lack of game time. Check out these comments from Podolski early this year: ‘Of course I am not happy with my situation right now. I can’t be satisfied with that. It is hard when you can’t do what you love.’
Now that the German ace is 29-years-old, perhaps it’s time to consider cashing in?
Interestingly enough, The Metro recently published an article claiming that Inter Milan have identified Lukas Podolski as an ‘ideal target’. The source even suggests that ‘negotiations’ are ‘in the pipeline’. It looks like things are moving along at a healthy clip.
Podolski could well have left The Emirates by the time that the January transfer window slams shut. I’ll be sad to see him go, but if his sales helps fund a move for a defensive midfielder, it’ll represent a big step forward for the club.
What’s your take? Is it time to wave goodbye to Lukas Podolski?
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