I regret selling Him that year,now He has more goals and assist than Ødegaard’: Arsenal Wenger says He regret selling £80m gem who could have won Arteta the league title long before now
Arsenal have seen a host of talent grace the pitches of both the Emirates and Highbury over the years, with many names creating unforgettable memories for the Gunners before departing.
From the heroes of Arsene Wenger’s invincibles, to the Frenchman’s earlier classes at the Emirates, the north Londoners have a rich history of being the home to some of the finest stars in world football.
Despite having such a valued reputation in English football, the Gunners haven’t always had the players to go with their club status, with the end of Unai Emery’s reign and the start of Mikel Arteta’s showing some of the worst form of the Premier League era.
Thankfully for Arsenal, the Spaniard has managed to turn fate around in north London, guiding his side back into the Champions League thanks to a shift in culture at the club over the past 18 months.
The brilliance of stars such as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli has led Arsenal back to such heights, following in the footsteps of the exciting wingers before them that once enjoyed life in the capital.
One name that often falls under the radar for his time at the Emirates is Lukas Podolski, who at 38-years-old is still showing that he can compete with the best on show at his former club, many miles away from N5.
How much Arsenal signed Lukas Podolski for
Rewind to 2012, and Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign Podolski from FC Koln for a fee of £10.9m at the age of 26.
The German had represented Koln for two spells prior to his move to north London, signing for Bayern Munich inbetween where he won the Bundesliga title, the DFB Pokal and secured 106 appearances.
Deployable in most areas in the front line, Podolski was an established German international and well-thought-of player in the Bundesliga, making his arrival at Arsenal one of excitement.
Why Arsenal signed Lukas Podolski
Arsenal had secured a deal to sign the versatile forward in March, with the underlying narrative at the time being that Wenger was hoping to bring in more star quality to assist in convincing Robin van Persie to remain in north London.
While the rumours of Podolski’s input in Van Persie’s situation were simply speculation, they made some sense, as the German was set to arrive in England in searing form off the back of an explosive 2011/12 campaign.
Arsenal lost Van Persie in disastrous circumstances that summer, however they did gain Podolski, who had contributed to 26 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances for Koln the season prior, scoring 18 and assisting eight to showcase what he could offer Wenger’s depleted side.
The winger had also claimed two assists in only two DFB Pokal appearances that term, signalling his ability to create as well as score, as his hammering left foot was the prized possession of the notorious hitman.
Lukas Podolski’s statistics at Arsenal
Once lauded as “clinical” by Wenger, the Poland-born whiz made an exemplary start to life at Arsenal, contributing directly to 28 goals in all competitions, scoring 16 and assisting 12 in his debut campaign.
In the Premier League, the forward made no mistake in asserting himself promptly in England, scoring 11 goals and assisting ten in his opening 33 appearances during the 2012/13 campaign, however his luck quickly expired.
In the following season, Podolski was only handed 20 appearances in the league, in which he only netted eight goals and recorded four assists, as Wenger’s squad grew in the areas that the German had hoped to occupy.
The season still ended high for the former Koln whiz, who by the summer of 2014 had won the FA Cup with the Gunners, aided by his three goals in four appearances in the tournament that term, with his personal success flying higher than domestic accolades.
In 2014, Arsenal boasted three World Cup winners in their squad, as Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Podolski were victorious on the biggest stage by winning the ultimate prize in Brazil.
