Unai Emery made his first signing as Arsenal boss in the form of Juventus fullback Stephan Lichtsteiner. The 34-year-old will provide competition for Hector Bellerin, as well as veteran leadership for the younger players.

The player moves on a free as his contract runs out this summer.

Welcome to Arsenal, @LichtsteinerSte 👋#WillkommenStephan https://t.co/31jZP73Jgb

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) June 5, 2018

 

Stephan Lichtsteiner Signs for Arsenal

The defender started his career in his native Switzerland, with Grasshopper Zürich.  Stephan Lichtsteiner then joined Lille before switching to Serie A with Lazio. He signed with the Old Lady in 2011, going on to make 257 appearances with the club.

He is also on 98 caps for Switzerland and could break the century mark at this summer’s World Cup.

During his seven seasons at the club, Lichtsteiner helped Juventus to seven Serie A titles. The Swiss international also earned four Coppa Italias during his tenure in Turin.

Lichsteiner is expected to play second fiddle to first-choice Hector Bellerin. Arsenal have been without a recognised alternative to the Spaniard at right-back since Mathieu Debuchy left in January.

While the new man is nearer to the end of his career than the start, he can still make a positive impact in north London.

Style of Play

Lichtsteiner generally deploys as either a right-back or wing-back but can deputise anywhere on the right flank if needed. His main assets are his endurance, consistency and tactical awareness.

While not technically skilled, Lichtsteiner is known for his tireless runs down the wing. This allows him to either get on the end of long balls or to open up space for his teammates. His stamina comes in handy when he needs to track back and defend, earning him a reputation for defensive solidity.

In fact, his endurance has earned Stephan Lichtsteiner the nickname “The Swiss Express” in Turin.

Lichsteiner’s game is not perfect, of course. He has drawn criticism for some poor distribution from the flank as well as some rash challenges.

Main Image Credit:
Embed from Getty Images