Photographs of Lehmann emerging from a helicopter at Stuttgart’s ground at Berg appeared in the German press on Friday, with the cost of the 250-kilometre hop from his new home near Munich put at €1,000.

While his chopper ride may serve to beat the traffic to leave the veteran 38-year-old keeper fresh for training it has not gone down well with Rupert Mann, the mayor of Berg and some of the town’s 8,200 residents.

“A number of people have complained,” Mann said. “I truly hope that Mr Lehmann won’t land in this area (near the stadium) again – if he does I’ll go and speak to him myself.”

Lehmann left Arsenal after his contract ran out at the end of last season and signed a one year contract with Stuttgart, the 2007 Bundesliga champions.