New Arsenal boss Unai Emery insists that new signing Stephan Lichtsteiner will be a key player for the Gunners both on and off the pitch, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
Lichtsteiner was confirmed as the first signing of the Emery era yesterday after joining the Gunners on a free transfer from Serie A giants Juventus.
The Switzerland captain joins Arsenal on the back of winning the Serie A title in each of his seven years with Juve.
After taking over the reigns at Arsenal following Arsene Wenger’s departure from the club after 22 years in charge, Emery spoke of what he believes Lichtsteiner will offer his side:
Stephan brings huge experience and leadership to our squad.
He’s a player with great quality with a very positive and determined attitude. Stephan will improve us on and off the pitch.
Lichtsteiner, who will provide tough competition for Hector Bellerin in the right-back spot, spoke of his desire to win trophies with Arsenal and get the club competing back in the Champions League after missing out in the last two years.
It is a great moment for me, after Juventus, to come to Arsenal.
It is a project to come back into the Champions League, it is hard to see a club like Arsenal that is not playing in the Champions League if you see the players, the club, the stadium. The big objective is to come back on the highest level.
It was a big era under Wenger, he won a lot of titles with Arsenal and did big things, now it is a new moment.
Wenger went and everything is a bit new so it is a big challenge. He (Emery) is a very good coach and won a lot of titles.
He is a coach who knows what he wants and who also progresses the players, also the old players like me. I’m really positive we will do great things.
Arsenal are also believed to be targeting Sokratis Papastathopoulos of Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini as they look to build a new squad under Emery.
