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Jens admits: I'm not the top man
By Steve Stammers and Adrian Warner, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 15.12.04
Jens Lehmann: facing up to life on the bench
Jens Lehmann admitted today he no longer expects to be Arsenal's first choice goalkeeper but hinted he was happy to stay at Highbury and fight for his place.
He said: "I like living and being in London. I knew from the start that in joining such a big club I might be on the bench at some point. As for the match at Portsmouth on Sunday, we will see.
"There are only three possibilities to my future. Either I am going to play pretty soon, in the near future or never again. I am a professional. At the moment I am expecting not to play. I have to accept the decision and live with it."
Despite doubts over his confidence and ability in dealing with crosses, Almunia has played ahead of Lehmann in Arsenal's last four matches.
Being dropped has reignited the row over who should play in goal for Germany as Jurgen Klinsmann's team prepare for a tour of the Far East, starting against Japan tomorrow.
His rivalry with Oliver Kahn has been one of the biggest headaches for Klinsmann, who is set to call Wenger to quiz the Arsenal boss on why Lehmann has been sidelined.
Klinsmann's assistant Oliver Bierhoff said: "There have been too many games that Jens has not been allowed to play."
But, while his relationship with Kahn may not have improved, Lehmann made it clear today that there is no rift with Almunia.
"He is a nice guy and we get on well," he said. "But we never speak very much with each other. He could not speak English when he arrived and he is still learning. And I don't speak Spanish."
Meanwhile, Arsenal have been given until the end of the month to come up with the money to hang on to Edu.
The Brazilian is due to become a free agent next summer and negotiations for a new deal have reached an impasse over wages.
The 26-year-old can sign a pre-contract agreement elsewhere from January and reportedly claimed at the weekend that he would move to Valencia next year.
He fuelled more talk of a move to Spain today by claiming that Barcelona and Real Madrid are also still in the running for his signature.
But he left the door open for Arsenal by claiming nothing had been decided and his representatives insisted the club had until the end of the month to meet their wage demands.
Amadeo Fensao, a colleague of Edu's brother and agent Jean Gaspar, said: "Arsenal have made an offer but we requested much more. We will negotiate until 31 December."
Edu, quoted on his website, said: "I do not know which route I am going to take. I am satisfied the three biggest clubs in Spain have an eye on me. But I cannot talk with anybody until January and have to fulfill my contract.
"There are several aspects to life I like in Arsenal and I am well adapted in England. But a challenge is a cool thing: a new country, a new team. Now I have to wait to January to make the correct decision."
Reader views (1)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Every Goalkeeper makes a mistake and Jens Lehmann is a fantastic keeper who deserves a second chance and I agree that Arsene Wenger is humiliating him by allowing Almunia to take his place. He wont be able to fight his way back if he isnt given the chance to play! THATS JUST THE FACT OF THE MATTER. I think Arsene Wenger should think about his decisions in the near future as he has a better and more experienced keeper sitting on the bench who has gave Arsenal so much more in the past.
- Scott Browne, Dudley West Midlands
