Arsenal have not yet lost any of their starting eleven players to another club, but according to Metro, the Gunners are keeping Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria in mind if German attacker Lukas Podolski was to leave the club in this summer transfer window.

The Gunners have been struggling to find an out-and-out winger for a few seasons, and gone are the days when Arsene Wenger could use utility players like Robert Pires on the wing. The Barclays Premier League is one of the most intense of its kind, and the stakes are sky high in every game. Managers prepare their defenders with the help of past match video and digital content to understand the patterns of their opponents. With such material at hand, it has become extremely difficult for a winger to stand out, deliver the same tricks and expect himself to be past the defender on a consistent basis. The same was the case with Ivorian Gervinho, who was introduced at the club as an attacker who approached from the wing, but could not settle into the side and deliver consistent performances over the course of the season.

Podolski has been a German legend for the last decade, and gained a goal poacher’s reputation with the help of his master partnership with Miroslav Klose in the international setup. The left foot of Podolski has been a blessing for the national side, and it can be said that his contributions to his clubs are nowhere near his contributions for the national side. His career began in FC Koln and his international performances lead him to be a target for Bayern Munich, who signed him in 2006. With just 71 matches in three seasons, he returned to Koln in 2009. His continual performances were noticed by Wenger, and the French boss brought him to the Emirates Stadium before last season.

Di Maria has himself been inconsistent at Madrid, but has shown constant potential. Wenger has not been able to use the services of an influential winger who can cross well, and will be looking to buy the Argentine if Podolski decides to leave.