Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has hinted he could retire after this summer’s European Championships - but still believes he has a part to play in the Gunners’ end-of-season push for honours.

The Germany international has spent much of the season on the Arsenal bench after losing his place to Manuel Almunia, but he remains confident his experience can help Arsene Wenger’s side as they attempt to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.

After that, though, Lehmann appears to be contemplating bringing his playing days to an end.

“I don’t know what I will do after the summer,” he told FIFA’s official website.

“I will play the European Championships and then it depends on whether I get a good offer. If I do, I might play on another two years, and if not, I probably might retire. It is very difficult (to be on the bench), very hard, particularly when I see the performances on the pitch. Sometimes you have to accept it - even after I played a couple of games and was dropped again.”

The 38-year-old was close to leaving for Borussia Dortmund in January but opted to stay for both personal and professional reasons.

“I was very close (to leaving) but I stayed for several reasons. My experience from AC Milan, who I left too early, was one thing, and my family situation - I didn’t want to take my kids out of school here. There was also the belief that I still can win something here and be part of it.”

The Germany stopper admitted he does not enjoy a close relationship with Almunia, claiming it is hard to maintain friendships at top-level clubs.

“When you compete with some guys they can’t separate the professional aspect from the personal. So there is no big friendship (with Almunia) but that does not worry me. You can have friendships in football in smaller clubs where you know you have to stick together and you know that you are so dependent on each other. In bigger clubs another guy comes in, delivers the same quality and you don’t care about the first guy any more.”

“I socialised with Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg sometimes, but right now when you look at the squad there is only Gilberto Silva who is near my age and has children.”