Inter loanee Lukas Podolski claims Arsene Wenger disrespected him, but the Arsenal boss denies this and expects him back in the summer.
The Polish-born striker has joined the Nerazzurri from the Gunners on a six-month loan deal and yesterday expressed delight in his presentation to the media.
However, he also since voiced his displeasure at the way he was treated by his former manager.
Inter loanee Lukas Podolski claims Arsene Wenger disrespected him, but the Arsenal boss denies this and expects him back in the summer.
The Polish-born striker has joined the Nerazzurri from the Gunners on a six-month loan deal and yesterday expressed delight in his presentation to the media.
However, he also since voiced his displeasure at the way he was treated by his former manager.
“He [Wenger] said nothing to me,” said Podolski in an interview with The Sun. “He did not call me or say goodbye. I don’t need flowers or a kiss from him.
“But it is about respect, about saying goodbye. For me respect is important. Maybe he had other problems with me.
“When you don’t get a chance you cannot show what you can do and the last five months I hardly played”.
However, Wenger had some words of his own in response to the criticism.
“I deny that completely but I knew he did not get enough opportunities,” said the Frenchman, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.
“I had many conversations with him, he had my agreement to go on loan.
“We have many players, when a player of his quality doesn’t get enough games you can understand he is frustrated.
“At some stage too many players is detrimental to the confidence. You need the right numbers.
“It had nothing to do with his quality. It is just a loan without an option to buy – that means he is back at the end of the season.”