Emirates Stadium and St James’ Park sides ready to do business.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Newcastle United enforcer Chieck Tiote is set to take on a new dimension with the north London side ready to offer forward Lukas Podolski in a swap deal that apparently has the backing of the German international.
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Arsene Wenger is known to have been pursuing Ivory Coast international Tiote for some time and the tough tackler’s public comments on his interest in completing such a deal may well have brought the situation to something of a head.
Arsenal and Newcastle United have been in early stage talks over a possible player exchange deal and owner Mike Ashley is said to be excited by the prospect of welcoming in experienced star turn Podolski with the Gunners star being a player he feels can be a big promotional coup for the St James’ Park side.
Alan Pardew’s side have certainly struggled in front of goal and a move to Newcastle United would provide Podolski a good chance of securing the regular first team action he has failed to garner at the Emirates Stadium for the best part of 18 months.
Podolski started just 14 Premier League fixtures last season and the summer arrivals of Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez have further limited his chances, indeed the former Koln and Bayern Munich man is yet to start a single top tier fixture this term.
Newcastle United are without a win in seven Premier League fixtures and have managed just seven goals thus far this term and Podolski could well provide the north-east side with a cutting edge in the final third that could help pull them clear of a relegation battle.
Similarly Tiote’s arrival at Arsenal would provide Wenger with an out and out defensive midfield option who could provide some much needed protection to the club’s creative talents and a barrier to opposition advances.
Both clubs are keen to see a deal completed early in the January transfer window.