Arsenal have joined the race for Bayern Munich's want-away striker Lukas Podolski.

Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer confirmed the Germany international is available because Podolski does not fit into the style of Jurgen Klinsmann's team.

Beckenbauer said: "Everything in life has its price. Two and a half years ago, we paid Cologne 10 million euros. Now, the fee is 15 million euros. You cannot keep a professional if he is unhappy, on the bench, and not playing.

"Poldi does not quite fit into our way of playing. He is a top-class striker when he has space in front of him as he has the pace to run clear.

"But the teams we play against are usually very defensive, so we need players who can get into the penalty area - Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni in particular."

The Daily Mail says with Eduardo still not fit after a long-term knee injury, Arsene Wenger has only Emmanuel Adebayor, who also has injury problems, and Nicklas Bendtner as strikers.

Wenger may feel the mobile Podolski, 23, will fit his team's style if not Bayern's. Manchester City are also looking at him.