Stephan Lichtsteiner's Dortmund Move Off With Incoming Manager Vetoing Transfer
Stephan Lichtsteiner's expected move to Borussia Dortmund has been called off as incoming BVB manager Lucien Favre apparently does not want him at the club.
Though not yet officially confirmed as manager, Favre is expected to succeed Peter Stoger at Signal Iduna Park after Dortmund activated the release clause in his OGC Nice contract. The appointment will be confirmed next week, with Favre to officially take charge in July.
Favre will sign a two-year contract and Kicker reports that he has already worked behind the scenes to call off the transfer of his Swiss countryman Lichtsteiner. Favre is very particular about making his own signings and would prefer a different full back to rival Lukasz Piszczek.
Lichtsteiner himself has confirmed that the move is off, and also said that he would not be joining the exodus of European players to the Chinese Super League.
"I'm not going to BVB," he told Blick, quoted by FourFourTwo. "We couldn't come to an agreement. There's nothing more to say about that.
"I'm definitely not going to China. I don't chase money and I need a certain quality of life in my next move.
"My wife and my children need to feel good, which wouldn't be the case in China. And I don't need more money."
Lichtsteiner has been with Juventus for seven seasons since joining from Lazio in 2011, winning the Serie A title in every campaign. However, at the age of 34 Juve are finally preparing to move him on after this weekend's final game of the season against Verona.
Favre spent several years in Germany with Hertha BSC and then with Borussia Monchengladbach before making the move to Nice in 2016.
