Lichtsteiner expects Arsenal exit after Europa League final
Stephan Lichtsteiner admits it would be "difficult to stay" at Arsenal beyond the end of this season.
The 35-year-old joined on a one-year deal from Juventus ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, with the club retaining an option to extend for 12 months.
Given that the Swiss defender has started just 10 Premier League games this season, it seems unlikely the Gunners will opt to trigger that extension.
Lichtsteiner himself concedes that his time at the Emirates Stadium might well be up, but insists that his focus remains squarely on the Europa League final against Chelsea on May 29.
"I see it being quite difficult to stay but we are going to see what happens," he said. "I don’t know anything. The only important thing is the Europa League final now.
"I really want to win this cup and bring this club back to the top level, back to the Champions League and winning important titles."
Together to Baku!!! Come on, @Arsenal ! #WeAreTheArsenal #COYG #YaGunnersYa pic.twitter.com/laqz2kY1uC
— Stephan Lichtsteiner (@LichtsteinerSte) May 9, 2019
Arsenal need to beat Chelsea in Baku in order to qualify for next season's Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.
And Lichtsteiner hopes his team-mates can rediscover the energy that was sorely missing from the closing weeks of the season.
"Five weeks ago, we were in the perfect situation," he added. "We gave too many easy points in our away games.
"We were also a little bit unlucky but we have to ask more from ourselves. At the end, of course, with so many games and the Europa League and everything, we lost a bit of energy in the last games."