Loopy Lehmann was closest to filling Seaman's shoes

Arsene Wenger has spent years trying to ­replacing David Seaman.

But while he has shown foresight when recruiting all other areas of the team, finding a long-term answer to the goalkeeping role has caused him problems. Here are the men who have been brought to the club in that search.

ALEX MANNINGER : Agile, immense spring and he looked a real bargain at £500,000. But Mark Hughes shattered his confidence with a shuddering challenge when Chelsea won at Highbury in the League Cup. He never recovered.

GRAHAM STACK : A homegrown product who was never given the chance to show what he could do. Now at Hibernian.

STUART TAYLOR : Looked the real deal, but was injury prone at Arsenal and has since been No.2 at Aston Villa and Manchester City.

RICHARD WRIGHT : Signed from Ipswich for £6million and there were high hopes. But Wright was never blessed with the presence of Seaman and after one season was sold to Everton for £3.5m.

JENS LEHMANN : Occasionally mad as a balloon and, dangerously for a footballer, became something of a ­philosopher. But the most ­successful attempt to date and part of The Invincibles team.

MANUEL ALMUNIA : Good goalie – and that’s the problem when you have to replace a great keeper like Seaman. Is there by default because of the failure to land Pepe Reina and Mark Schwarzer.

VITO MANNONE : Classic example of young keeper ­syndrome. Great debut at ­Fulham but shortcomings were exposed and off the radar now.

MART POOM : Signed as back-up and was never going to be first choice.

LUCASZ FABIANSKI : The updated version of ­Manninger. All was going well until Wenger’s second string conceded five at Tottenham in the Carling Cup. He has never ­recovered from the trauma.

WOJCIECH SZCZESNY : This youngster could be the answer. He is huge, has self-confidence and fulfils first requirement – he fills the goal.