Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Lukas Podolski to Leave in the Summer? Micah Richards Eyed as Replacement for Bacary Sagna

Mar 12, 2013 05:32 AM EDT

With their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread, Arsenal face the prospect of losing Lukas Podolski in the summer, just a year after the German international signed for the Gunners from Koln.

Juventus and Atletico Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on the 27-year-old, who has not quite had as much of an impact as would have been expected.

Juventus are lining up a £15 million ($22.5 million) bid for the forward, only a year after he joined Arsenal for £11 million ($16 million).

Atletico are also interested and could make a move depending on who leaves the Spanish club in the summer.

Podolski has been consigned to the bench over the past couple of games, although that could be because of a niggling injury, and has been substituted in almost every game he has started since making his move the Emirates.

Having said that though, it is unlikely that Arsene Wenger will let go of one of his most experienced players just when he is looking to stabilize the squad while adding quality in the summer.

Arsenal are under no obligation to sell, with Podolski tied to a long-term contract and the Gunners well in control of their finances.

In fact such is the cash available at Arsenal that were they to spend even half of the available money, they can bring in three or four quality players in the summer.

One of those players who could come to Arsenal is Manchester City defender Micah Richards, with Arsenal looking at the 24-year-old as a possible replacement for Bacary Sagna.

The Arsenal rightback is expected to leave in the summer after failing to agree on a new deal; Sagna's current contract expires in 2014 and the 30-year-old rejected a one-year contract extension offer.

Richards will fit the bill as he is a boyhood Arsenal fan and is unlikely to cost too much money, with City desperate to offload some of their players at the end of the season.

The only problem though is the fact that Richards is extremely injury prone, and the primary reason for not giving Sagna a longer-term contract has been his injury problems, although there is a big age difference between the two players.

If Richards can stay fit, he would be a good addition to the squad, with the England international capable of playing at rightback as well as down the center.

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