Pros and cons of Lukas Podolski at Arsenal

Looking good in the red & white? Podolski after exchanging jerseys in a pre-season friendly with Arsenal.

German international, Lukas Podolski, 26, has been on the radar for a lot of clubs, mainly Arsenal & Liverpool and why not? He’s a versatile player who can play on the wings as well as a lone striker with a deadly left foot as proven by his outstanding goalscoring record – 43 goals in 95 caps for Germany & 14 goals in 18 games for FC Koln this season, a team filled with average players at best, is no mean feat. With his contract running out in 2013 and Podolski hinting for a move abroad, with Arsenal looking more likely than Liverpool, let’s analyze the pros & cons of Podolski at Arsenal.

PROS:

• Versatility – With Gervinho & Chamakh both off for the African Cup of Nations, Podolski could provide adequate cover in their absences, both on the flanks or as a striker. Once they return, Wenger would also have a whole variety of quality players to choose from for his front three which could prove to be a delightful problem.

• Quality – We may argue that players like Park or Chamakh only perform well when played consistently, but Podolski is truly on a different level compared to them and would provide world class back-up for van Persie who has been over-worked and proving to be the only lethal form of ammunition for the Gunners. Podolski, who is very quick and strong, can help take the load off van Persie and rotate more constantly with the Arsenal captain without Wenger having to worry about a drought in goals. Without doubt, Podolski is also more clinical and composed in front of goal than Walcott or Gervinho and boasts a deadly left foot similarly like van Persie, and is a player who was just born to score goals.

• Young + Experienced – Podolski is believe it or not, only 26 years old, and has already featured in 2 World Cups and a EURO tournament, also having played first team club football for majority of his career – not bad for a 26 year old and his experience could prove vital on the attacking front.

• Cheap – For a player of Podolski’s calibre, £15-16 million for him would be an absolute coup for the German international, however, reports say he could be sold for cheaper, even £10 million if Wenger waits until the summer.

• Marketable – Podolski is also quite the looker and would certainly raise the female contingent of Arsenal fans as well as generate a lot of sales through merchandise along with an increase in German support with Mertesacker already at the club.

CONS:

• Unhappiness – With Gervinho and Chamakh back, some first teamers are likely to be on the bench and this would possibly cause unhappiness within the camp. If Podolski starts on the wings, either Walcott or Gervinho will be dropped to the bench with Arshavin probably losing his spot on the bench as well or if Podolski is solely used as a striker, given van Persie’s form, he’d be on the bench too with Chamakh and Park not getting a shout.

• Adapting – A player who has played in Germany all his career will obviously find the Premier League a new change of pace and could take time to adapt. Some players, like Arshavin, took the Premier League by storm straight away but some, like Dzeko, take time to blossom and if Arsenal want to secure a top 4 place, a signing who may take time to adapt in Podolski, may not help.

• Performance – Podolski has been performing outstandingly for FC Koln and Germany, but would he be able to prove his worth at a top club? He moved to Bayern Munich at a point in his career and it didn’t work out so well, with him scoring only 26 goals in 106 appearances – not good by his or any top club’s standards, hence a move could be risky.

There are indeed two sides to the Podolski sale but in my opinion, he is very much worth buying and could strengthen Arsenal immensely. With January just a few hours away, we are all bound for a very exciting transfer window – and if you’re wondering what makes a move for Podolski to Arsenal likely, here are a few quotes/hints which might make you consider it:

Per Mertesacker who has reportedly urged Podolski to join Arsenal – “He [Podolski] is a great player, especially for the national team. He scores a lot of goals, he’s a good striker with a very good finish with his left foot. His left foot is unbelievable and I’m a fan. This year, he has scored a lot of goals. He is powerful as well, he’s a great player. You see, new Germans are not so bad!“

Lukas Podolski – “Moving to another club within the Bundesliga is something I can hardly imagine. If I decide to leave Koln, it will be to move abroad. It annoys me that some people think I can only perform at Koln and only when I live in this city. That gets on my nerves. They claim something that is simply not right. I can also feel well and perform at my best in other surroundings.“

Joachim Low – “For four or five years I have said that it would be better for Lukas to stay in Germany. Today the situation is different. Lukas has become more mature, he is more capable of making the move abroad.“

Arsene Wenger when asked whether he was chasing Podolski – “No [regarding Podolski]. I don’t know yet [regarding spending in January]. That was an honest answer.” We all know what happens when Wenger denies interest in a player! [see Arshavin & Arteta]

Happy new year!