Lukasz Fabianski has
warned Jens Lehmann that he expects to be Arsenal's first-choice
goalkeeper next season.
Pole Fabianski, 22, joined the Gunners from Legia Warsaw in May and
will vie with the German and Manuel Almunia for the goalkeeper's
jersey.
He told BBC Sport: "Lehmann and Almunia are very good, but I'm not
afraid of anyone. I'm confident of my skills.
"I want to be first choice at Arsenal as much as they do. My
message is clear - I'm ready to fight from day one."
Lehmann, who signed a new one-year contract with the Gunners in
April, insists he has nothing to fear from Fabianski, despite being
15 years his senior.
He said: "When I am physically fit and have nothing distracting me
mentally, then nobody can match me for experience."
Yet the ambitious Fabianski, who has made four appearances for his
country and was voted the Polish league's best goalkeeper for the
last two seasons, has other ideas.
"Of course I can wait a little bit for my chance, but I'm not
coming to Arsenal just to be there," he said in his first interview
with the English media.
"I want to become a regular first-team player. Hopefully I'll do it
from the very beginning, because I'm ready for this.
"That was my goal from the start. Being at a club and playing are
two different things, I want to play.
"Now I will focus on working hard every day and competing for the
number one jersey."
There have been reports that Fabianski could be sent on loan at the
start of next season, with Watford a possible destination, yet he
is adamant he is going nowhere.
"Nobody has proposed anything to me and I'm not going anywhere," he
said.
"I want to be at Arsenal from the start of the season and learn
everything about my new team and team-mates.
"I need to get accustomed to training at Arsenal and the atmosphere
in the locker room. That's how I see my future at this club."
The Gunners have been monitoring the young keeper for several
seasons.
He spent four days training at the club in the summer of 2004 and
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has kept tabs on him since then.
"Most of the time I practised alone with the goalkeeping coach
because most of the Arsenal players were on holiday. But on my last
day I was joined by Manuel Almunia and we trained together for some
time.
"At the end of my time Mr Wenger told me, 'Be careful, we will
watch you'."
Fabianski went on to have two sensational seasons with Legia Warsaw
and was included in Poland's squad for the 2006 World Cup.
Wenger decided to pounce last month after the Pole had been linked
with several top European clubs, including Manchester United.
"At the start of last month I was invited to London by Arsenal and
had a personal meeting with Mr Wenger," he said.
"I didn't have any expectations, but Mr Wenger told me he wanted me
to join Arsenal.
"I tried to stay cool and not be too over-excited, but I felt very
honoured.
"However, being at one of the great clubs in the world won't mean
much unless I will start to play for Arsenal and show my
abilities."