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.
Apps
Goals
Assists
42
16
12
27
12
5
13
3
0
Unfortunately for the winger, his joy in South America didn’t translate to him earning more minutes in north London, as the 2014/15 campaign marked the beginning of the end for the well-loved star at Arsenal.
After being granted only seven Premier League appearances that term, Podolski made the decision with the club to go on loan in January, seeing him join Inter Milan where he netted only one goal in 17 Serie A appearances before returning to his parent club.
Wenger made the decision to cash in on his £10.9m dynamo in the summer of 2015, as he joined Galatasaray for a mere fee of £1.4m, seeing a huge financial loss based on his price tag after arriving from Germany just three years prior.
What Lukas Podolski did after leaving Arsenal
After signing for Galatasaray, Podolski made a quick impact by scoring in his debut season in the Super Lig, where he spent two years with the Turkish giants before embarking on a new journey.
In Istanbul, the 130-cap international won the Turkish Super Cup twice with the Lions, as well as contributing to 52 goals in 75 appearances, leaving a hero to sign for Japanese side Vissel Kobe in 2017.
Podolski played alongside Andres Iniesta in Japan, and enjoyed an exciting two and a half years representing the club, scoring 17 goals in 60 appearances before returning to Europe once more.
In his second shot at football in Turkey, the former Arsenal diamond spent a year and a half at Antalyaspor but failed to make an impact as memorable as his time at Galatasaray, as he scored six Super Lig goals in the 18 months he was at the club.
What Lukas Podolski is doing now
From Germany, to England, to Japan, to Turkey and now Poland, Podolski has experienced the highest highs a player can hit in his career, however at 38, his playing days seem far from over.
With just under two years remaining on his deal with Polish outfit Gornik Zabrze, there is plenty of football to be played by the Gliwice-born veteran, who is still performing at a high-level today.
In fact, last season, the German secured eight goals and ten assists in all competitions, suggesting that he is still operating at a high level in the later years of his playing career.
By recording ten assists last term, Podolski registered more assists than Arsenal’s creator-in-chief, Martin Odegaard, who notched eight assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.
Lukas Podolski
Martin Odegaard
29
37
6
15
9
8
1.6
2.1
11
14
84%
84%
Over ten years since his arrival at the Emirates, the World Cup winner is still showcasing that he can kick it with the best on show in north London, despite nearing 40…