Zenit keen on Podolski

Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg were reported yesterday to have tabled a 15-million-euros ($20 million) bid for Germany striker Lukas Podolski. The 25-year-old, who has won 83 caps for Germany, scoring 42 goals, has recently been named captain of...

Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg were reported yesterday to have tabled a 15-million-euros ($20 million) bid for Germany striker Lukas Podolski.

The 25-year-old, who has won 83 caps for Germany, scoring 42 goals, has recently been named captain of Bundesliga strugglers Cologne, but German daily Bild claims the Russians want to sign him.

“Lukas Podolski is a well-known player. If it is said that we are interested, then that may be correct. But there have been no concrete discussions,” said Zenit’s director of sport Igor Korneev.

Podolski is under contract at Cologne, who are 16th in the Bundesliga, until 2013.

If Cologne are relegated, Podolski, who was voted the best young player at the 2006 World Cup, has a clause in his contract that he can leave for five million euros.

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