Wolfsburg are the latest Bundesliga club set to pass on the chance of signing Lukas Podolski, while the club's sporting executive Klaus Allofs says Bayern Munich's Xherdan Shaqiri does not fit into the team's plans.
Podolski, 29, has been linked with a move away from Arsenal during the winter, and voiced his discontent with a lack of playing time at the Premier League club during the recent international break.
The Germany international will seek talks with Arsene Wenger, and was backed by national coach Joachim Low, who said that the forward needs match practice to bring through his strength on the pitch.
However, it appears that Podolski will not return to Bundesliga this winter despite media reports in Germany that he could be available for as little as five million euros.
Earlier this week, Cologne and Schalke all but closed the door on a transfer, while kicker reports that Wolfsburg are not interested in offering Podolski a return to the Bundesligsa.
"Because of that [Wolfsburg's lack of interest] we don't need to deny his sporting merits," Allofs said. "And during my time in Bremen he was twice a transfer target of mine."
Allofs, who joined Wolfsburg from Bremen in November 2012, also said that Die Wolfe will not make a move for Shaqiri should the Switzerland international become available this winter.
"Bayern Munich players are always worth to be looked at, but they also need to fit into the framework," he added. "And I certainly don't see that right now."
The former Germany international did however confirm Wolfsburg's interest in two youngsters: Basel's Breel Embolo, 17, and Santos attacker Gabriel, 18.
Embolo is an "interesting" player, according to Allofs, who also said that Gabriel -- Chelsea-Man-Utd-Arsenal-Neymar-Barcelona-Gabriel-Barbosa" target="_blank">dubbed the new Neymar by the English media -- "is on our scouting list."