Lukas Podolski is odds-on to be an Arsenal player before the start of next season following reports suggesting a deal was close.
Lukas Podolski is odds-on to be an Arsenal player before the start of next season following reports suggesting a deal was close. Reports in newspapers on Thursday morning suggested that Arsenal had agreed a fee with FC Koln for the 26-year-old, believed to be in the region of £11million. And following earlier reports in Germany that personal terms had already been agreed, bookmakers William Hill on Thursday afternoon made Podolski just 4/7 to join the Gunners this summer. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will now be hoping that a deal for Podolski will help convince captain Robin van Persie to sign a new deal at the club this summer. But Hill's disagree and have shortened their odds to 5/6 (from Evens) for the Netherlands international to have quit the club before the opening day of the 2012-13 Premier League season, fuelling speculation that Podolski will be a replacement for the Dutchman rather than somebody to play alongside him next season. Van Persie is out of contract in June 20