Spotlight:Lucas Podolski(Arsenal)

Lukas Podolski joined Arsenal from

Cologne on a long-term contract in

the summer of 2012.

After spending his early years

training and playing with FC

Bergheim 2000, he joined the youth

set-up at Cologne in 1995, before

making his first-team debut in 2003.

After three successful seasons with

Cologne he moved to Bayern Munich

in 2006. He spent three campaigns

with Bayern before re-joining FC

Cologne in 2009 and was regarded

as one of the leading strikers in the

Bundesliga.

Podolski has since won more than 100 caps for Germany since his debut as

a 19-year-old in 2004. He made a big impact at the 2006 World Cup, scoring

three times. He followed this up with three more goals at Euro 2008.

Lukas was also part of the Germany team that impressed at the 2010 World

Cup in South Africa, making a goalscoring contribution in the 4-1 win over

England in Bloemfontein in the last 16. He was on target at Euro 2012 too as

Germany reached the semi-finals.

“He is a striker, and we like them,” said Arsène Wenger. “He is technically

gifted, he can play through the middle and through the flanks, he is very

adaptable, can create goals and make goals.

“That for me was an obvious choice. He is left-footed as well and that for

me is interesting. It is sometimes interesting to have a left-footed player on

the right flank, especially a guy who can give assists.