STEPHAN LICHSTEINER is to join Arsenal on a one-year contract when his contract expires at Juventus next month.
The Switzerland right-back has been at the Old Lady for seven seasons but will become new Arsenal head coach Unai Emery’s first signing.
It is believed the one-year contract will have an option to be extended by a further year.
Lichtsteiner, 34, was named in Vladimir Petkovic’s Switzerland World Cup squad and is expected to captain his country in Russia.
He made 32 appearances in all competitions for Juventus as they won a seventh consecutive Serie A title and fourth consecutive Coppa Italia.
They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, beating Tottenham in the Round of 16, before being knocked out by a last-minute penalty to Real Madrid in a repeat of last year’s final.
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Hector Bellerin is Arsenal’s first-choice right-back but Lichtsteiner will provide defensive experience to a widely-criticised defensive line.
Arsenal endured a trophy-less season in Arsene Wenger’s final campaign, finishing sixth in the Premier League, reaching the Carabao Cup final and the Europa League semi-final.
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The Gunners are also thought to be interested in signing Sampdoria and Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Meanwhile Lichtsteiner’s Juventus team-mate Mario Mandzukic may also be on his way out of the club after Pavel Nedved said he did not want any unhappy players in the squad.
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