Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann strongly considered returning to the Germany before deciding to remain in his "perfect environment" at Arsenal.

Lehmann signed a new one-year deal yesterday, ending speculation that his four-year stay in London was set to come to an end

Clubs such as Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin and Spanish outfit Sevilla were believed to be interested.

But although Lehmann (37) revealed that last summer's World Cup did whet his appetite for a stint in his home country, he could not yet call time on his Gunners career.

He told Arsenal TV Online: "I am staying for another year and I'm delighted about that. I said I always loved it here but, of course, I had to make a decision.

"I could have gone somewhere else but in the end I think there is a good possibility to harvest something at this club, particularly next season. I want to be a part of that.

"For a while I considered going back to Germany because we (Lehmann and his family) loved it there during the last World Cup.

"My wife and children are very happy here but they could have imagined going back to Germany and that is why we considered leaving.

"But at the end as I said before the quality of the football here, the club, the stadium and the fans - I know that and I like that.

"It is the perfect environment for me to play football. I don't know if I would have found that somewhere else."