Koln are the latest club to rule out a move for Arsenal want away forward Lukas Podolski.
The 29-year-old forward is ready to leave the Gunners in January after making just one start this season, which came in the 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the League Cup.
However, interested clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and now Koln have all pulled out, saying that they cannot afford to make the signing in January.
Podolski made over 160 appearances for Koln during two spells with the club but the German side.
“We do not have €5 million [£4m] and we can’t pay the salary for a player like Podolski,” their managing director, Jorg Schmadtke, told Bild.
“Podolski needs a team where he can play to its strengths and bring them to full advantage. We can not currently offer that. I told him our point of view and I think Lukas sees it the same way.”
The club’s president, Werner Spinner also said that a potential move would have a negative impact on the club and would be unfair on Podolski himself.
“It would be difficult to integrate a 121-cap international, who also plays in the Champions League with Arsenal,” he said. “We will never again impose such a responsibility on one player.
“No-one has anything against Podolski returning to Koln – he is a popular figure – but we do not want to jeopardise the team’s uniformity.”