The rumors are starting to swirl: according to German tabloid Bild, FC Köln striker and German international Lukas Podolski has agreed personal terms with Arsenal for a transfer this summer:

Update: Here is the official story on Bild's website.

More after the jump:

While this seems like a good sign for those Arsenal supporters who have been clamoring for a reasonable alternative to Robin van Persie at striker for the Gunners, agreeing personal terms is about 5% of the work that has to be done for a transfer to actually happen. In other words: keep your pants on, everyone. The two clubs may never agree on fair value for the player, the player may change his mind, and then, of course, there's an agent involved.

Would having Podolski on the squad be nice? It's certainly better than Marouane Chamakh at this point or the theoretical Park Chu Young; Podolski is a player who's only a little younger than Robin van Persie and whose domestic scoring record isn't spectacular (109 goals in 280 appearances). On the other hand, he's scored 15 in 20 this year, so like van Persie, he's possibly reaching his peak. He is able to play on the wing, too, and versatility is nice, especially in Arsenal's occasional three-striker formation. He's also score 43 goals in 95 caps for Germany, which is solid.

Remember, though, as you troll through the tabloids as they'll inevitably pick this story up: this is still a long ways from actually happening, and it probably won't, even if it does make sense for Arsenal in some ways.