Chelsea Transfer News: Stephan Lichtsteiner Set to Spark Arsenal Battle

While Chelsea are never a team shy of splashing the cash, Jose Mourinho and the Blues hierarchy are never ones to say no to a bargain, either. And the current Premier League leaders could be set to put together a cut-price package for Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner in January, reports suggest.

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The player is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, and according to Colin Harvey of the Daily Star, both Arsenal and Chelsea are keen on bringing the Swiss international to London in the midseason window.

In Harvey’s piece, it is also noted that according to Tuttosport, the 30-year-old wing-back is stalling on contract negotiations with the Bianconeri, and subsequently, Massimiliano Allegri is already looking at potential replacements for a man that’s been dubbed “Forrest Gump” given his forceful vertical forays up and down the right wing.

Here’s what Chelsea supporters could expect from Lichtsteiner should Mourinho strike a deal:

If the player continues to drag his feet when it comes to contract negotiations, it’d be no surprise to see the Italians look to cash in during the January window. Lichtsteiner is a fine player and one that’s critical to Juventus’ bespoke system, but it would be better to receive a reduced premium in the window rather than lose him for nothing come the end of the season.

It’s easy to see why both Mourinho and Arsene Wenger would be potentially keen on bringing in the former Lazio man. He’s been a vital but understated facet of the Bianconeri’s recent success, giving the team unyielding energy and intensity down the right flank. But if he was to pomp for the blue of Chelsea over the red of the Gunners come January, how would he fit in at Stamford Bridge?

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The Blues have assembled a squad that is bristling with class in almost every area of the pitch, but if there’s one minor concern, it’s that there is little cover in the full-back positions. That's not to say they don't have fine options: Cesar Azpilicueta is a wonderfully versatile defender capable of playing in either the right- or left-back berths, while Branislav Ivanovic and Filipe Luis are fine options on the right and left, respectively.

But Mourinho has just three recognised full-backs in a squad that cumulatively has two or three quality options for each position on the pitch. In that respect, Lichtsteiner would add some much-needed depth, but whether he’d be a seamless stylistic fit is another matter entirely.

Indeed, throughout much of his career with the Bianconeri, the Swiss international hasn’t been deployed as an orthodox full-back, rather as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 system—one that Mourinho has yet to showcase at Chelsea or in his decorated managerial career to date.

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While full-backs and wing-backs are often boxed in the same category, there are actually some big differences in the roles they must play. It’s something that Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville discussed in detail earlier in the season:

In many respects, Lichtsteiner is a prime example of how players can be more suited to one role or the other. Although he’s played as a full-back for Switzerland down the years, Lichtsteiner’s never quite had the same irrepressible influence for the national team as he has had for the Bianconeri.

During the World Cup, Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe wasn’t impressed with his displays as an orthodox full-back:

The Swiss international is a wonderful player if utilised in the right setup: a world-class wing-back but a pretty average full-back. Given Juventus’ patent for playing a system that accommodates his attributes perfectly, perhaps he should consider signing on with the Bianconeri a little longer before setting off in search of pastures new.

Mourinho is extremely unlikely to alter his system, and throughout his managerial career, a formation that accommodates wing-backs has been a real rarity. If he wants a full-back that’ll do a job of comparable distinction to the likes of Luis, Azpilicueta and Ivanovic, then there are better-suited candidates out there than Lichtsteiner.