Arsène Wenger does not have a reputation for nurturing England players, but he may have been doing so without knowing. Manuel Almunia, the man who has displaced Jens Lehmann in Arsenal’s goal this season, has told Fabio Capello, the England manager, that he is ready to take up British citizenship immediately in an attempt to play for England.

The uncapped Spaniard is ready to answer the call to play for the country in which he has lived for the past 3½ years. "If Capello is interested in me for the naitonal team, I am ready to immediately take up English citizenship," Almunia, 30, said.

He may soon be the first of many Englishmen in the Arsenal side after Wenger revealed yesterday that he wanted to “buy English” and make his legacy at the club a team made up of home-grown talent.

Arsenal have largely relied on foreign players, such as Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Cesc Fàbregas, to hit the heights since Wenger arrived in North London 11 years ago, but, according to the Frenchman, Arsenal teams of the future will be made up of English players nurtured at the club’s training ground in Hertfordshire.

Wenger put his money where his mouth is by confirming that he is close to agreeing a deal to sign Luke Freeman, a 15-year-old English striker from Gillingham, and he believes that he has at least two English players in his youth teams who will become stars of the future.

“I would like to contribute something to English football,” Wenger said. “I have had enough of being accused of signing only foreign players. Our target is to produce the next generation of great English players.”

Lehmann turned down a move to Borussia Dortmund yesterday after he failed to agree personal terms with the German club. “It saddens me to disappoint Dortmund officials who made huge efforts to sign me and who gave me a lot of time to think things over,” Lehmann said.

The Germany goalkeeper is out of contract at the end of this season and Arsenal would have allowed the 38-year-old to leave on a free transfer if he had decided to return to his former club.

“Although it would have been a very attractive challenge to play again in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund, I have decided against this step for private reasons,” Lehmann said in a statement posted on the German Soccer Federation’s website. He did not elaborate, though, on his plans for the future.

Lehmann informed Joachim Löw, the Germany coach, of his decision on Friday morning. “Naturally, it would have been interesting for Jens to return to the Bundesliga, because a player of his quality is always an enrichment,” Löw said. “But as I know from talks in recent days, he considered his decision very carefully, and so it will be the right one for him. Our position towards Jens Lehmann will not change as a result of this decision.”

Lehmann needs to play regularly or risk not starting for Germany at this summer’s European Championship. After struggling with injuries and form, Lehmann has been a back-up behind Almunia at Arsenal this season.

“It was right and legitimate to try to get the German No 1,” Michael Zorc, the Borussia sports director, said. The German club were particularly keen to sign Lehmann as Roman Weidenfeller, their regular goalkeeper, is out for three months because of a shoulder injury.

“We regret Jens Lehmann’s decision, but of course we respect it,” Hans-Joachim Watzke, the Borussia business manager, said.