Jens Lehmann not Schalke bound

Lehmann came out of retirement to join Arsenal for a second time in January (GETTY IMAGES)

Schalke have finally decided not to offer Jens Lehmann a route back to the Bundesliga.

The Gelsenkirchen club openly pondered the idea of taking on the 41-year-old goalkeeper last month before going quiet on the subject.

However, coach Ralf Rangnick confirmed today that Schalke would stick with their existing crop of goalkeepers rather than taking on Lehmann, who made his name with the Royal Blues before spells with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Stuttgart.

Rangnick told the Bild newspaper: "We will be working with Ralf Fahrmann, Mathias Schober and Lars Unnerstall in pre-season.

"Getting another goalkeeper would be unsustainable from a sporting and financial standpoint."

Lehmann came out of retirement to join Arsenal for a second time in January on a short-term deal and made one appearance, in a 3-1 victory at Blackpool.

Fahrmann will likely start the new season as number one following the sale of Germany international Manuel Neuer to Bayern Munich.