Arsenal shelve winter plans for Podolski

Arsenal are shelving their plans to sign FC Cologne striker Lukas Podolski.

The Mail on Sunday says Arsenal will make an £8million bid for FC Cologne striker Lukas Podolski in the summer now that Thierry Henry has filled the gap up front short term with his loan move from New York Red Bulls.

Henry represents the short-term solution, with Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh away this month at the African Cup of Nations.

He will return to New York in February, meaning Arsenal will move for Podolski in the summer, after the German this week said that he favoured staying at Cologne until the end of the season, to be sure of making Germany’s first team at Euro 2012.

But though Cologne managing director Claus Horstmann claimed he was ‘optimistic’ that Podolski would sign a new contract, the striker has just one year left on his deal come June and is keen to play in the Premier League.