Arsenal's Lukas Podolski joins Inter Milan on loan

Milan: Inter Milan confirmed on Monday that German World Cup winner Lukas Podolski has joined on loan from Arsenal.

The Italian Serie A outfit said the 29-year-old had taken part in training on Monday afternoon. Arsenal had revealed the completed deal earlier in the day when wishing Podolski well on Twitter. The former Bayern Munich player will be on the bench for Tuesday's high-profile trip to champions Juventus, Inter coach Roberto Mancini said.

"I've prepared for this match without Podolski. Once the transfer is rubber stamped, I'll put him on the bench, that's certain. He's an excellent player, he'll help us a lot," said Mancini in his pre-match press conference.

A week ago, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had described Inter's initial approach as "a joke", claiming the Italians were "not serious" -- Italian sides have a history of making audacious, derisory offers to try to sign players on the cheap.

Podolski, who joined Arsenal from Cologne in 2012 -- the club he started out at before a three-year hiatus with Bayern from 2006 to 2009 -- had not played a league match for the Gunners this season.

He won German Bundesliga crowns with Cologne in 2005 and Bayern three years later. He won the FA Cup with Arsenal last season, having also lifted the German Cup with Bayern in 2008. He was part of Germany's World Cup winning squad in Brazil in July, although he only played in the group stages.