Lukas Podolski is on the brink of a permanent transfer to Galatasaray with the Turkish club confirming talks are underway to negotiate a deal at the fourth time of asking. .

Galatasaray tried to sign Podolski in the summer of 2012 only for him to join Arsenal from FC Köln for £11m and they have been unsuccessful on two subsequent attempts to recruit him . An official statement from the Turkish club, released on Friday evening, suggests that further talks and a medical will take place on Saturday.

Podolski has long been frustrated at his lack of a regular starting place under Arsène Wenger and he moved to Internazionale on loan in January for what would prove an unsuccessful spell. The Germany forward has said that he came to regard his five months in Milan as a mistake.

Wenger has been unable to offer Podolski any guarantees over playing minutes and, with the 30-year-old behind a clutch of players in the pecking order both up front and on the left, the manager has agreed to sanction a transfer. Podolski has one year to run on his £100,000-a-week contract.

“We had good talks with Wenger,” Podolski’s agent, Nassim Touihri, said. “He wanted to keep Lukas at Arsenal but could not guarantee him a starting position. That’s why we agreed to make a transfer.”