Augsburg sign Swiss international after Arsenal exit

After having spent only one season in England, the Swiss has gone to Germany.

Former Arsenal and Juventus full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner has signed a one-year contract with Bundesliga side Augsburg.

The 35-year-old, a free agent after leaving English Premier League club Arsenal at the end of last season, joins the Fuggerstadter on a free transfer and brings with him a wealth of experience at the top of the European game.

He penned an emotional farewell letter to Arsenal fans in June, calling his time there a “great experience” that he “loved”. He joins an Augsburg side that narrowly avoided relegation from the Bundesliga last season and he could make his debut against Union Berlin at the weekend.

“Life is made in such a way that special challenges await you. I have never done anything like Augsburg”, Lichtsteiner told the official Augsburg website. “I want to play regularly again. My experience should help me get used to the processes quickly. I want to be a role model, talk a lot, explain a lot.

“Augsburg are a club that have developed really well in the last few years. This step is exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for after my spell in England. I have the feeling that I can bring a lot to this hungry young team. That and the fantastic atmosphere in the Bundesliga are both very appealing to me.”

“It’s also interesting to speak German again”, said the veteran.

In seven years with Juventus, Lichtsteiner won seven Serie A titles and made 236 appearances for the Old Lady in Serie A, scoring 13 goals. He then moved to London, where he made 20 outings last term, including six in the Europa League. He has also been capped 105 times by his country and is still Switzerland’s captain.

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