Podolski joins Bayern
In one of the longest running transfer sagas of the summer, Germany forward Lukas Podolski has left Cologne to join Bayern Munich in a €10 million deal. At just 20, Podolski is a key member of Germany’s World Cup squad and one of the big hopes of German football. Fans of the Nationalmannschaft are looking to him and Miroslav Klose to supply the goals which will take Germany beyond the group stages to the business end of the competition.
Podolski struggled with form this year, with only 12 goals in 30 starts in Die Bundesliga and will have his work cut out in replacing Michael Ballack as the new local hero.
Bayern’s forward line already includes Roy Makaay, Roque Santa Cruz and Peruvian duo Claudio Pizarro and Paulo Guerrero and questions must now be raised about their futures, especially Santa Cruz who seems to spend more time in surgery than on the pitch.
