Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is expected to seek a move away in January after manager Arsene Wenger could not guarantee his No1 status yesterday.

The Times says Lehmann sounded out several clubs about a return to Germany towards the end of August without finding any takers, but is likely to go looking for another club again in January if his situation does not improve.

Wenger is ruthless when he considers a player to be past his best, as he showed with the departures of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry. "Almunia will start tomorrow in goal," Wenger said. "Lehmann has an elbow injury, he had to pull out of Germany's second game and he still has bone bruising from that game against Blackburn.

"At the moment I don't know if I'd pick him if he was fit. I didn't really wonder 'do I do that?' I knew yesterday he couldn't play so for me it's continuity at the moment."