• Premier League

Cologne hoping to keep Arsenal target Podolski

ESPN staff
November 3, 2011
Lukas Podolski's finishing for club and country has caught the eye © Getty Images
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Cologne are confident Lukas Podolski will commit his future to the club, amid reported interest from Arsenal.

Germany international Podolski is tied to Cologne until 2013, but has been linked with a move away from the club - with Arsenal rumoured to be keeping tabs on his situation.

Cologne are aware that rival clubs are likely to be sniffing around the 26-year-old, but are hopeful of thrashing out a fresh deal.

"I am trying to stay indifferent to rumours like this," Cologne general manager Volker Finke told Bild. "We all know what we are facing.

"Some time around Christmas we will be going to meet to try and thrash out the contract extension of Lukas Podolski.

"I have already spoken to his agent, Kon Schramm. We have no clear date just now. Maybe we will meet two weeks before Christmas or two weeks after Christmas. We should fix this without any pressure."

Cologne manager Stale Solbakken said: "It's pretty usual there is big interest in a player like Podolski. He needs to talk to his family, his agent and the club about his future."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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