Reports in Italy suggest that Stephan Lichtsteiner has issued a transfer request to Juventus. Chelsea could use the Bianconeri’s interest in winger Juan Cuadrado to secure a deal for the experienced Switzerland international.
Italian media outlet La Stampa claims that 32-year-old Swiss wing-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, who has spent six years at Juventus, has issued a transfer request to the club as Chelsea and former manager Antonio Conte are eager for his signature. It was earlier reported widely that Lichtsteiner would opt to leave Juventus this summer after the club purchased Dani Alves on a free transfer from Barcelona.
The Swiss defender is not guaranteed his starting spot for the first time in six years since he joined Juventus from Lazio. While Lichtsteiner had previously dismissed talk of a transfer early on in July when he was linked with a transfer away from Turin, things may have changed now.
The Swiss fullback started both games on the bench and came on for Dani Alves as a late substitute in the match against his former team Lazio. Chelsea are looking for a left-back since the only senior player they have for the left-back position after the departure of Abdul Baba Rahman is Cesar Azpilicueta. The Blues have been recently linked with Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez as well, but the move is unlikely to go through in the next couple of days.
It is not entirely impossible that Lichtsteiner would look to find greener pastures elsewhere after being supplanted in the pecking order by one of the most successful defenders of all time in Dani Alves. Although Lichtsteiner made an immediate impact after coming on for the Brazilian against Lazio, Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri might still prefer to use him as a second choice.
However, Allegri’s team selection in the recent past has been quite erratic and unpredictable. The ex-Cagliari man’s tried and tested policy of squad rotation is one of the major changes at the club from the Conte era. Allegri started Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala again this week despite Gonzalo Higuain getting a goal in his first match, which speaks volumes on his policy of utilising the bench with ruthless efficacy.
