Arsenal woes continue as 'unhappy' Podolski hints at exit

Yesterday there was bad news for Arsenal as some of the club's top transfer targets distanced themselves from the troubled club and today it appears that some of those already under contract at the Emirates are keen to leave a sinking ship.

According to Goal.com unloved Arsenal frontman Lukas Podolski "will seek clarification on his future" at the Emirates after being frozen out this season by Arsene Wenger, who is living up to his Nutty Professor nickname. Even though the Gunners have struggled for goals this term, Wenger has shown little faith in his German World Cup winner and as a result, alleges Goal.com, Podolski is growing ever more frustrated at his lack of game time. The 29-year-old's only start this season came in the League Cup and he's told reporters: "We'll have to see what happens this winter. I'm going to seek talks with my club."

It's worse than that according to The Guardian, which quotes Podolski as saying that he wants to start enjoying his football again. "I am not happy with the situation at the moment. It would be wrong to suggest that I am," he declared.

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But there's better news for Arsenal and local rivals Tottenham in the Daily Star with the paper reporting that Marseille winger Andre Ayew "could be available for as little as £1.5m" in January's transfer window. Not that the north London rivals are the only English clubs interested in the 24-year-old Ghanaian, who has less than a year left on his contract in France. According to the Star Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle fancy a piece of the action and that's music to the ears of Marseille, who are also aware that Serie A side Napoli are keen on the African star.

A member of the Ghana squad at this year's World Cup, Ayew has in the past made no secret of his fondness for English football, saying: "The English league is the one most followed in Ghana. It's true that I have a real preference for England. I like everything about it; the atmosphere, the game, the fans."

The future of German World Cup star Christoph Kramer continues to excite the British press as the Daily Express claims that Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham have all been handed "a boost" in their pursuit of the playmaker.

Currently on loan from Bayer Leverkusen at fellow Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, Kramer was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid but that seems to have died a death with the player's agent, Rene Von Bruch, shooting down the speculation in emphatic style. "Real Madrid is not an option," said Von Bruch, adding: "Christoph is concentrated on Gladbach at the moment". And asked if his client was considering a move to the Premier League next season, Von Bruch was giving nothing away, saying he would return to Leverkusen for whom he signed in 2010

Finally, the Daily Express says that Manchester United are ready to pull the plug on Juan Mata's ill-fated Old Trafford career and sell the Spaniard for as little as £20m. That would represent a hefty loss for the Red Devils, who forked out £37m for the midfielder when they bought him from Chelsea in January's transfer window. The Express says that the fact Louis van Gaal is prepared to make a loss of £17m in offloading Mata demonstrates the player's "difficulty in acclimatising" to the Dutchman's demands. As for which club might be willing to come in for Mata, reports in Spain say Atletico Madrid are interested as are Italian champions Juventus.