Arsenal are in talks to sign Stephan Lichtsteiner on a free when his contract at Juventus expires this summer, with the right-back among Unai Emery’s targets.
The 34-year-old, who is expected to captain Switzerland at the World Cup in Russia, could become the Arsenal head coach’s first signing.
Lichtsteiner, who joined Juventus from Lazio in 2011, was recently linked with Borussia Dortmund after confirming he would exit the Serie A club.
“I’m playing in one of the biggest clubs in Europe and there’s always competition for places,” Lichtsteiner told Mediaset after making his 300th appearance against Bologna this month. “But my future is going to be away from Turin. At the end of the season I’m leaving. I’ll play abroad next year but I’ve not signed anything yet.”
The attacking full-back has won the domestic title in each of his seven seasons at Juventus and made 27 Serie A appearances in the campaign that has just finished despite the arrival of Mattia De Sciglio from Milan.
Lichtsteiner was not named in Juventus’s squad for the Champions League group stage but returned against Tottenham and Real Madrid in the knockout rounds. He has played 98 times for Switzerland, appearing at two European Championships and two World Cups.
Emery was appointed as Arsène Wenger’s successor at Arsenal this week and is working as part of a set-up in which Raúl Sanllehí and Sven Mislintat, the head of football relations and recruitment respectively, will oversee transfers. Lichtsteiner would compete with Héctor Bellerín for a starting place.