Manchester United Transfer News: Dissecting Stephan Lichtsteiner January Rumours

Manchester United have reportedly lined up a summer move to bring in Juventus' Stephan Lichtsteiner as a free agent, spurning a January transfer and moving ahead of a host of other interested teams.

The Daily Express' Ben Jefferson claims "reports in Spain" indicate the Swiss international has seen contract negotiations with Juventus come to nothing, and the Bianconeri will choose to hold on to the defender for another six months rather than cash in now:

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The Juventus defender is entering the last six months of his current deal and talks over an extension have broken down.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been monitoring Lichtsteiner's situation having weighed up moves for the Swiss defender in the past.

And while both clubs could look to hijack United's interest by making a bid for the player next month, Juventus are keen to keep hold of one of their stars for as long as possible.

That means that Lichtsteiner will be available for nothing in the summer and reports in Spain suggest that United are the frontrunners for the player's signature.

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Jefferson offers no explanation why Spanish sources would have knowledge of this development instead of sources from Italy or England, and he goes on to claim Louis van Gaal's primary target, Juan Cuadrado, will be passed over because he signed a new contract with Fiorentina.

The Dutch manager has switched between a 3-5-2 and more traditional formations throughout the 2014-15 campaign, and with the number of wide men capable of playing in a 3-5-2 rather limited, his interest in Lichtsteiner certainly makes sense.

The 30-year-old developed into one of the world's better full-backs under former coach Antonio Conte and was instrumental in his implementing of the 3-5-2, thanks to an impressive pair of lungs and a willingness to run, defend and attack for 90 minutes.

Defending the Swiss Express is a nightmare due to his sheer athleticism. Lichtsteiner simply won't stop running, is opportunistic cutting inside and is not afraid to be very physical with his opponent if the situation calls for it.

Bleacher Report's Adam Digby did a feature on Lichtsteiner recently, hailing him as Juventus' biggest unsung hero of the campaign. His conclusion tells a whole different story than Jefferson's, however:

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It is those small yet significant improvements that will help La Madamaprogress in Europe, and Lichtsteiner is set to be rewarded for his stellar play. With his current deal set to expire in June, respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has reported the agreement of a new three year contract that will see the player earn around €3 million per season.

Now not only an unsung hero for Juventus but arguably one of the best right-backs in the world, Stephan Lichtsteiner has earned every penny of it.

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Italian media have been following contract negotiations between Lichtsteiner and Juventus for months, and all stories coming out of Turin seem to indicate the two parties have agreed to a new deal, with an announcement expected before the January window opens.

Tuttomercatoweb reported the agreement on Boxing Day, via Khaled Al Nouss:

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Lichtsteiner has accepted the renewal offer made for him by Juventus until 2017 with an option for another yr worth €3m/season. [TMW]

— Khaled Al Nouss (@KhaledAlNouss) December 26, 2014"

Tuttosport said the same thing two days earlier, via Football Italia:

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Today, Tuttosport indicates that the agreement has been finalised and that an official announcement is imminent. The new contract will see Lichtsteiner earning €3m a year until 2017.

This dashes reported hopes from United, who were reported last week to have offered a check for €25m to have the player in January.

While the operation is not necessarily ruled out, in the best of cases Tuttosport say that it has been deferred until the summer.

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English media have been adamant contract negotiations have hit a roadblock for months now, but every single Italian source with knowledge of the situation refutes such reports.

As one of Juventus' most consistent contributors, the idea Lichtsteiner would become a free agent without the Bianconeri putting up a real fight was absurd to begin with. The Swiss international has given no indication of wanting to leave, and according to Sky Italia's Manuele Baiocchini, all that is needed to finalise a deal is an official announcement:

As it stands, the chances of Lichtsteiner joining the Red Devils as a free agent in the summer look slim. A January move also seems unlikely, with the next possible window for a move being the summer of 2015.

The full-back will be 31 by that time, having played in Italy since 2008. Tuttosport's claim of a €25 million bid seems reasonable value for such an important contributor, but it's very steep for a veteran with maybe two or three more good years left before the inevitable decline.

Even more than most full-backs, Lichtsteiner relies on his athleticism and speed to beat his opponent. Those attributes are usually the first to feel the effects of old age, and his performances could start dropping fast in the next couple of seasons.

His fit in the 3-5-2 makes him an interesting target, but one has to wonder whether Van Gaal would be willing to spend big money on an aging player who won't sell many shirts or inspire fans, given his relative anonymity outside of Italy.

Bleacher Report's Andy Brassell and Ryan Bailey recently broke down United's transfer needs, and the players they suggested had far more ring to their names than Lichtsteiner:

Diego Godin, Miranda, Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger are world-class players fans talk about every day; Lichtsteiner simply doesn't fit into that list.

The Swiss star is happy in Turin, set to sign a new deal and doesn't present enough long-term upside to warrant a big-money move. While you can't rule anything out in football, it appears unlikely he'll be moving to Old Trafford anytime soon.

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