Jens Lehmann to make shock return for Arsenal

London: Jens Lehmann is set to come out of retirement and return to Arsenal on a short-term contract if he can prove his fitness to Arsene Wenger.

Lehmann, 41, is in talks with the Premier League club about a shock return three years after leaving Arsenal and hopes to be included in the squad for this weekend's trip to West Brom.

The veteran shot stopper revealed to German newspaper Bild that he was ready to jump in and help his old team. "Arsenal has a goalkeeper emergency at the moment. I'm glad that I can help," he is quoted as saying.

It is understood that the former Germany international, who was at Camp Nou last week for Arsenal's Champions League elimination at the hands of Barcelona, will be assessed by Wenger in training sessions at London Colney this week.

Manuel Almunia is the Londoners' only senior goalkeeper currently available following injuries to Wojciech Szczesny (finger) and Lukasz Fabianski (shoulder), while rookie Vito Mannone, currently on loan at Hull City, is sidelined with a thigh problem.

James Shea, a 19-year-old England youth international, has been recalled from a loan spell at Southampton but is considered too inexperienced for frontline action.

Lehmann is currently a free agent having retired from the game last summer after two seasons with Stuttgart back in the Bundesliga following his five-year spell at Arsenal.

The Premier League have confirmed that the German can be signed outside the transfer window as he is currently without a club and Wenger, who revealed last week that he intended to bring in cover for the run-in, would hope to have him available and on the bench at the Hawthorns.

Lehmann made almost 200 appearances for the club after signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2003 and was sent off in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona before losing his place to Almunia, although he would be considered very much understudy to the Spaniard this time around.

He has been working in the media since retiring from the game and has attended matches at the Emirates already this season as a pundit for both English and German broadcasters.