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Nowotny to leave Bayer Leverkusen
 Nowotny will be looking for pastures new after 10 years at Leverkusen. LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- German international defender Jens Nowotny has confirmed that he will leave Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season. "I made this decision because I want to have another sporting challenge, said the 32-year-old, who has spent 10 years at the club. "The offer from Bayer to play for two more years in Leverkusen was very fair." "He revealed to me that he wants to do something new," said, Leverkusen's sporting director Rudi Voeller. "I find it a pity but his decision has to be respected." Nowotny will receive 4.7 million euros ($5.8 million) as part of an agreement in his contract. It remains unclear which club the 32-year-old will move to for next season. The relationship between the player and Leverkusen has been under strain over the past year with Nowotny twice taking legal proceedings over pay following a cruciate ligament injury. The club temporarily suspended Nowotny from playing as a result. Nowotny has really only returned to action in earnest this season after the winter break when he won back his first team place. "It paid off that he played for us after all the goings on. With him we are now sixth in the table and the team with the best form," said Voeller. German under-21 international Peter Niemeyer, who plays for Dutch side Twente Enschede is considered a potential successor to Nowotny but Voeller refused to "name names". "I will summon all my strength in the last games for Bayer so that we make it into the UEFA Cup," said Nowotny, who is also hoping to be named in Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann's World Cup squad. Nowotny last played for Germany at the ill-fated Euro 2004 tournament when Voeller was at the helm. 
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