Stuttgart signal interest in Podolski, but no January deal

"There has been no contact," Stuttgart sports director Horst Heldt told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on Sunday at a training camp in Dubai.

 The Germany striker Podolski is not first choice at Bayern Munich amid speculation that he could leave the Bundesliga leaders after two seasons in summer. Werder Bremen are allegedly also interested in him.

 "It would be careless not to think about Lukas Podolski. (But) We must see whether a transfer can be realised. There are many factors and it is not even clear whether Podolski wants to leave Bayern in summer," said Heldt.

 Stuttgart are ranked eighth in the league, 11 points behind Munich. Their top strikers mario Gomez and Cacau are both injured but Heldt ruled out any more winter hirings after getting Sergiu Radu on loan from VfL Wolfsburg.