Bayern Munich's German international striker Lukas Podolski may have demanded a winter transfer, but head coach Jurgen Klinsmann insisted on Tuesday the striker is going nowhere.
On Monday, Podolski told German tabloid Bild he has informed Bayern's bosses he wants a transfer during January's winter break, but Klinsmann has put the brakes on such transfer talk.
Before Bayern played Tuesday night's Champions League clash in Munich against Steaua Bucharest – where Podolski was again left on the bench – Klinsmann said he wants the 23-year-old to stay.
“What he has said changes nothing at all,” Klinsmann told German television channel DSF.
“We want to have four strikers in our squad next year – one of which is Lukas Podolski.”
With Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni and Germany's Miroslav Klose as his first-choice strikers, Klinsmann has both Podolski and Landon Donovan, on loan from LA Galaxy, as his reserve forwards.
But there is no disguising Podolski's discontent at Bayern.
Despite being an ever-present for Germany, Podolski has failed to make an impact since he transferred from Cologne to Munich in 2006.
Having spent most of last season on the bench, he was told to “stop whining” by Bayern manager Uli Hoeness in the media here in October when he complained about his lack of matches.
And Hoeness also criticised his performance in a game against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Real Madrid have also been linked to the German star who has said his dream move would be back to Cologne from where he broke into the German team.
Bayern Munich will destroy a great player’s career if they refuse to let him go, bastards. Podolski is so good, why not play him? No rotation policy at all? I like Bayern but if Podolski is surplus to requirements and you rarely use him then let him go.
Pat’s right, they should let him go. He’s a great player, and i believe he wil be a top player like ronaldo one day.