Germans hopeful of convincing the attacker to return to his homeland this summer.
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Bundesliga giants Schalke 04 have become the latest team to express an interest in unsettled Arsenal front man Lukas Podolski this summer, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.
The experienced Germany international has only been in north London since last August, when the 28-year-old arrived at the Emirates from German side FC Koln on a long-term deal for an undisclosed fee.
However, the forward enjoyed an up-and-down debut campaign in the capital, with Podolski managing to score an impressive 16 goals in his 42 matches for the club in all competitions, including 11 strikes in his 33 Premier League contests for the Gunners.
But in spite of those eye-catching attacking numbers in front of goal, Podolski has only been used as a substitute in Arsenal’s first two matches of the new season, at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League last Saturday afternoon, followed by their trip to take on Turkish outfit Fenerbahce in the Uefa Cahmpions League playoffs on Wednesday night.
And this continues a similar pattern towards the end of the previous campaign when the German also found himself benched for the club’s most important fixtures, raising the possibility that Podolski could be on his way out of London this summer.
So far, the likes of Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray have all expressed an interest in the attacker, and it is understood that if Arsenal can get back the fee they paid for the player and are also able to bring in a replacement striker, then they will sanction Podolski’s exit.