Stuttgart Interested in Lehmann

[Will317]

BBC Sport - 21.01.05
Stuttgart Interested in Lehmann



Stuttgart are considering making a close-season swoop for out-of-favour Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann.
Lehmann, 35, worked under Stuttgart coach Matthias Sammer at Borussia Dortmund for four years.
The German club are looking to replace Timo Hildebrand whose contract ends during the summer.
Stuttgart president Erwin Staudt said: "Jens Lehmann is a topic for us as we're thinking about how to continue when Hildebrand leaves."
Staudt added: "I'm sure that Mathias Sammer knows Jens Lehmann like no other person."
Lehmann has been warned by Germany national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann that he needs to be playing regular football next season to win a spot in the 2006 World Cup squad.
Stuttgart's interest comes after Lehmann reiterated his desire to remain at Highbury and displace Manuel Almunia in the Arsenal first team.
Lehmann's current deal runs until 2006, and he told German TV: "I want to fulfil my contract.
"I will keep fighting and try to win my place back. It is very, very likely I will stay with Arsenal for a long time.
"Things are not going my way at the time being but I am very confident I will be playing again soon."
Lehmann lost his place to Almunia at the end of November.
But he could soon return as his Spanish rival has been less than convincing and gave an unassured performance in the 1-0 defeat at Bolton on Saturday.
Lehmann previously criticised manager Arsene Wenger for saying the German might want to leave Highbury.
Wenger stated his belief that 35-year-old Lehmann, linked with Borussia Moenchengladbach and Stuttgart, might quit.
"It is the second time he has mentioned that and I think everybody in football knows why he does it," said Lehmann, a £1.5m buy from Borussia Dortmund.
"I have signed for three years and I intend to honour that contract."
"Of course I was surprised to be dropped," said Lehmann. I'm sorry but what have I done wrong?
"At this club every goal is blamed on the goalkeeper.
"If they can find someone who never ever makes the smallest mistake they should sign him right away. But it will be very hard to find that person."
Lehmann believes some of the criticism he has had to endure has been unfair but he insists he still has faith in his own ability.
"I was blamed for a lot of goals but in fact I never made a typical goalkeeping mistake," added the keeper, who signed for Arsenal in July 2003 from Borussia Dortmund.
"I've lost the ball outside the penalty area sometimes but that is down to my very risky game.
"I don't doubt myself. Why should I? I came here and won the championship without losing a game.
"Who can compare to that? Name me anyone who has done that before."
Lehmann certainly believes he is the best goalkeeper at Highbury, if not in the whole of Britain.
"Of course I think I am better (than Almunia)," he claimed.
"Ask Almunia and he might think differently but he has only played a handful of games for Arsenal and I have played nearly 80.
"If you judge us on the ratio of mistakes made to games played, then my record bears comparison to any other keeper on this island."

[T.HENRY]

yes. i want to sell him
he is old and not the best goal keper