“A quick decision needs to be taken in everyone’s interest and should arrive in the coming week,” Cologne general manager Michael Meyer said. “Our positions have come closer.”

Cologne want to pay €7.5 million for a player they sold to Bayern for €10 million. But the midtable side are now offering to pay €7.5 million and also the receipts from one or more friendly match with Bayern, which Meyer said was “one solution.”

According to German media reports, Podolski, who has scored 31 times in 60 appearances for the national side, is to sign a pre-contract with Cologne allowing him the right to talk to other clubs should the side be relegated.

Despite his success at international level, Podolski has always been on the fringes at Bayern behind Miroslav Klose and Italian Luca Toni.