Is former Dortmund keeper Jens Lehmann set to join 1860 Munich? | OneFootball

Is Jens Lehmann returning to the football stage? Recently, the 55-year-old former goalkeeper has been in the spotlight more for incidents outside of football. At one point, he used a chainsaw to clear his view of Lake Starnberg. Then he was charged with alleged insult of a public official. Now, the former Dortmund player could join the traditional club 1860 Munich.

The Lions last played in the 2nd Bundesliga in the 2016/17 season. Since then, they have been unsuccessfully trying to escape the 3rd division. Their investor Hasan Ismaik (48), who has been involved with the club since 2011, repeatedly makes headlines. Last summer, it seemed that the Jordanian was about to leave. But the sale of his shares to Swiss resident Matthias Thoma (57) fell through.

Now, according to Munich’s Abendzeitung, Ismaik—who is not particularly popular among the Lions’ fans—could still sell his shares after all. According to the report, Lehmann is planning to join the 1966 German champions. The former national goalkeeper intends to act as “Head of Sport” and recruit former 1860 legends for the club’s operations.

To secure Ismaik’s shares, Lehmann is searching worldwide for financially strong partners. The current asking price is estimated at 25 to 30 million euros.

Already discussed as an investor years ago

Since their relegation in 2017, the Blues have been playing their home games at the traditional Grünwalder Stadium, which only holds 15,000 spectators. Unlike Lions president Gernot Mang (57), however, Lehmann does not want to expand the venue, but instead is aiming for a new stadium in Munich-Riem with a capacity of 40,000 to 50,000 seats. The costs for the new arena are expected to be between 250 and 350 million euros.

Lehmann’s interest in TSV 1860 is not new. The 2002 German champion has been a member of the third-division club for several years. In 2013, he was discussed as a possible managing director. Lehmann had already planned to join as an investor in 2016. An investor group led by the former goalkeeper had already held talks with the Munich club. However, cooperation did not materialize in either case. This time, however, it could work out.

“If there is someone who can offer 1860 more than I can—then let him come forward with a serious proposal. If it is the best for 1860, I am always open to a conversation,” Ismaik announced at the end of July.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.