• Bundesliga

Cologne rule out Podolski move

Lukas Podolski received the support of Germany coach Joachim Low last week © Getty Images

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Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski will not be returning to hometown club Cologne even if he does leave London in January, according to the club's sporting director Jorg Schmadkte.

Podolski, a World Cup winner this summer, is unhappy with the number of games he has been playing this season under manager Arsene Wenger.

Last week, while with the national team, the forward voiced frustration at his lack of playing time and was also backed by Joachim Low.

Germany head coach Low said Podolski "needs to give his future some thought" and added that "it's now mandatory that he plays regularly somewhere".

Podolski, 29, has been linked with several Italian clubs, as well as Turkish side Galatasaray. On Monday, Schalke ruled out a move for Podolski and, on Tuesday, Cologne also closed the door on their former star.

German media reported this week that Wenger could allow Podolski to move if a club offers £4 million, but even though the manager insists he will be staying, Cologne are unable to match the financial package on offer elsewhere.

"We've explained our standpoint, and I think that Lukas also sees it that way," Schmadkte told Bild. "We don't have five million euros, and we can neither pay the transfer fee nor the salary of a player like Podolski."

Also speaking to the paper, Cologne president Werner Spinner added that the club were also concerned a potential return for Podolski could bring conflicts to a newly-promoted side that currently sits 10th in the Bundesliga table.

"It would be difficult to integrate a national team player who has 121 caps and also plays Champions League at Arsenal," he said. "But nobody in Cologne has anything against Lukas Podolski. He is a popular figure, but we don't want to put the squad and their homogeneity in danger."

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