Lukas Podolski: I was never going to leave Arsenal in January window

GETTY

12 February 2014

Lukas Podolski has claimed there was never any chance of him leaving Arsenal last month.

The 28-year-old striker, who has started just five matches for the Gunners this season, was linked with a move to Schalke, possibly in a part-exchange deal for Julian Draxler.

Arsenal were in prolonged talks to sign Draxler last month but refused to meet Schalke’s valuation and consequently the transfer never developed far enough for Podolski to become involved.

However, Podolski insists he had no intention of joining another club during the January window under any circumstances.

“That was a myth. There was absolutely no truth to it,” said the Germany international. “The coach told me as such and I knew there was no truth in it.”

Podolski came on as a second-half substitute at Liverpool last Saturday but was unable to prevent a 5-1 defeat which led to Arsenal being knocked off top spot in the Premier League.

The Gunners are looking to bounce back against Manchester United at Emirates Stadium tonight and manager Arsene Wenger retains full faith in his present squad, harbouring no regrets about his failure to land Draxler or any other big names.

“I don’t believe on Saturday it was the players we missed in the transfer market who would have saved us,” said Wenger.

“We have been very stable defensively until now and anyway we would not have bought defenders, so I don’t think any defeat you can come out with remarks like that.

“What you have to consider is how well we have done until now and we are in a fantastic position with this group of players so let’s come back to our normal level.”

Wenger’s opposite number, David Moyes, meanwhile, believes he was awarded a six-year contract as United manager because the club’s hierarchy realised what a big job it was to replace Sir Alex Ferguson.

After a shaky start to Moyes’s tenure, United have staggered through the early weeks of 2014 and they failed to beat bottom club Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Moyes said: “I was given a six-year contract. Things were always going to take time. There has been rebuilding going on here and we’ll continue to do that.”