Arsenal agree striker deal

Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Cologne and Germany striker Lukas Podolski at the end of the season, according to reports.

Though personal terms have yet to be formally thrashed out, reports suggest a fee of £10.6million has been agreed with the German club.

It is also reported that a contract worth £100,000 a week is being put forward to the 36-year-old, with the club keen to do a deal before this summer’s European Championships – where a good tournament could see his value soar.

Gunners defender Per Mertesacker has played alongside Podolski in the German national team for eight years and revealed that he had recommended life at the Emirates to the Poland-born forward.

"He has sent me a number of text messages and I have told him this is a great place to work and Arsenal are an amazing club."

Big-spending Russian clubs Lokomotiv Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala were also interested in signing the 26-year-old, who started his career at Cologne before a brief three-year spell at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

However, the lure of the Premier League appears to have won the striker over, who now looks set to become the first major signing of the summer.

The question will now be immediately asked – is Podolski being signed to act as support for Robin van Persie or his replacement.

Van Persie is heavily tipped in premier league betting markets to leave the club in the summer, given his contract has little over a year to run.

The former Feyernoord man has hit 32 goals this season and is almost a one man market when it comes to punters looking to bet on the Premiership top scorer.

With the club now certain to complete a seventh season without a major trophy van Persie– may well decide that he has a greater chance of winning trophies elsewhere.

The signing of Podolski may well be the sign the Dutchman was hoping for to show the Gunners ot have ambition and the means to challenge at the very top.

Or, it may mean that Arsene Wenger is preparing for van Persie’s departure by acting early, with the move softening the blow of any sale. Though whether that will wash with any supporters remains to be seen.