Lukas Podolski Transfer Rumours: Latest News and Speculation on Arsenal Star

Lukas Podolski is desperate for first-team football, and it appears he'll have to leave Arsenal in order to get it. As the January transfer window looms, so does a likely exit for the Germany international.

Continue for updates.

Podolski to Inter Reportedly Done

Friday, Jan. 2

Guglielmo Cannavale of Sky Sports has the latest on Podolski:

Inter's Twitter feed shows Podolski at the airport:

Mancini Admits Podolski Pursuit

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini has confessed to Mediaset that Podolski is on his list of January targets, per Peter McVitie of Goal.com:

Podolski is a good player. He is part of a list of players that we are following, so we will see what will come of it.

However, Mancini will face a fight from Arsene Wenger, who indicated his desire to keep Podolski during Tuesday's press conference:

Podolski has also commented on the situation, telling Sky Sport Germany, via David Amoyal of gianlucadimarzio.com:

So far they are just rumours, the facts say that I have a contract with Arsenal until 2016.

Podolski Close to Inter Switch

Monday, Dec. 29

Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski is on the verge of agreeing to a six-month loan to Inter, according to Monday's latest reports.

Matt Barlow of MailOnline says the Serie A giants will pay the Gunners a fee of £1.5 million in order to sign the 2014 World Cup winner until the end of the 2014-15 campaign:

Podolski has seen his chances at the Emirates Stadium limited further following last summer's arrivals of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck. He is yet to start a Premier League game this season.

Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports reports that Inter aren't the only suitors attempting to acquire the out-of-favour attacker, however:

Arsene Wenger has hinted at Podolski's departure in recent days, with the competition for attacking places in north London rife right now.

Per James Goldman of Goal.com, the Gunners chief said: "There is nothing concrete on Podolski. At the moment nobody goes out. But there is a lot of competition upfront. We have Mesut Ozil coming back at the beginning of January so of course there's a lot of competition for places."

Wenger's main concern this winter is to strengthen his defensive ranks, so if Podolski's departure would free up space for a foreign acquisition to arrive in his place, the deal could be a welcome one.

Despite his low level of prominence, the 29-year-old's record of three goals in just 129 Champions League minutes this season (five appearances) has ensured his reputation is to some extent intact.

With a more regular place at the San Siro, Podolski may yet boost his value ahead of a summer switch. He may even prove to Wenger why he deserves to be a more senior member in north London—a potential win-win situation for Arsenal.