Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Lukas Podolski and Best Scoring Options for Gunners

Let's play a quick game of "Good News, Bad News: Arsenal Edition."

Good news: The holiday onslaught is over.  Bad news: The Gunners picked up just four points combined against Wolves, QPR and Fulham.

Good news: The January transfer window is open for business.  Bad news: Arsene Wenger will have to put those sharp elbows to good use to keep Kenny Dalglish, Sir Alex Ferguson, Roberto Mancini and Andre Villas-Boas away from his top targets.

Good news: Thierry Henry is coming back.  Bad news: He's old, and the Gunners need plenty more support on the attack behind the overworked Robin van Persie, especially with Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh off to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Good news: Here are three forwards who are (or will be) on Arsene's radar this month...

Lukas Podolski

Who better for Wenger to sign in support of RVP than someone like Lukas Podolski? 

Poldi has been the Van Persie of the Bundesliga this season, scoring 14 goals in 16 appearances for Cologne, putting him on pace for far and away the best season of his career at the highest level of German football.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, the cost for Podolski may be prohibitively high.  According to German football expert Raphael Honigstein, Arsenal would likely have to break the club record for a transfer fee, set in pursuit of the soon-to-be-outgoing Andrey Arshavin, to bring Podolski to the Emirates Stadium:

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"Arsenal have tried, and they did speak to [Podolski].  They might try again with a slightly increased offer.

"[But] Cologne really don't want to sell, and unless you're talking crazy money—around €20million, it's not going to happen."

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Still, Wenger wouldn't exactly be unwise to pony up a few extra pounds to ensure another top four finish in the English Premier League, and perhaps even a late challenge for the top of the table. 

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Welliton

Speaking of Arshavin, Wenger's pre-existing familiarity with the Russian Premier League may lead him to look east once again, this time in pursuit of Welliton.

According to talkSPORT, the Brazilian striker is becoming a popular target in the current transfer window, with Arsenal in hot pursuit alongside the likes of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Fiorentina.

The diminutive 25-year-old has been sensational for Spartak Moscow since leaving his native Brazil in 2007, putting through 57 goals in 93 appearances, including seven goals for the Red-Whites this season.

Welliton's speed and creativity would make him an excellent addition to a Gunners attack that's proven to be rather unimaginative at times, and a price tag in the realm of £7 million would place him well within Arsenal's preferred range.

Moussa Sow

Wenger and Lille of France's Ligue 1 are eminently familiar with one another. 

The former has already poached Gervinho from the latter, and has attempted to do the same with Belgian phenom Eden Hazard in the past.

However, given the expense of Hazard, as well as the emergence of Aaron Ramsey and the impending return of Jack Wilshere, Wenger may be more interested in another of the Mastiffs' stars—Moussa Sow.

The 25-year-old French striker enjoyed a fantastic debut campaign with Lille last season, notching 25 goals in 36 appearances while helping his club to a domestic double.

Sow's chipped in another six goals this season for Lille, pushing his asking price potentially as high as £20 million.

The bidding for Sow may well come down to a North London derby of pocket books, with Tottenham expected to challenge Arsenal for Sow's services.

Surely, Wenger has at least enough Gunners pride to pony up for Sow, if for no other reason than to keep Harry Redknapp from nabbing him for Spurs.

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