It’s safe to say the out of the crop of players Unai Emery brought in during the summer transfer window Stephan Lichtsteiner was the most underwhelming of the bunch.

The Swiss international is way past his prime and hasn’t been at the top of his game for years, and it’s evident in some of his performances for Arsenal this season, some of which have been comical.

Lichtsteiner hasn’t exactly done a lot to win over the hearts of Arsenal fans, which is why in a recent interview with Swiss paper Neue Zurcher Zeitung (via Sky Sports) that the 35-year-old defender was open to leaving the club after his deal with the club expires in the summer for more first-team football.

Of course, some Arsenal fans might be excited about this news. But what these people fail to realise is, that in the background Lichtsteiner has improved the club this season, just not in the way you expected it.

The main reason why the experienced right-back was brought in at Arsenal is because of that exact reason, Lichtsteiner is a defender who has done everything you can do for a club and has learnt all there is to learn about the art of being a full-back.

His experience of being Juventus’ starting right-back for seven years and winning almost everything there is to win with the Italian giants makes him the perfect mentor for Hector Bellerin, the player many Gunners fans expect to be at the club for many years to come.

As well as cover for if Bellerin gets injured, which has happened this season, Lichtsteiner behind the scenes has been helping the Spaniard improve this game, and this has been evident on the pitch.

Before his season-ending ACL injury, Bellerin was without question the best right-back in the Premier League this campaign. The 23-year-old led in assists from a defender with five, and his overall game massively improved, especially in defence.

With Bellerin for the foreseeable, Ainsley Maitland-Niles looks set to take over the right-back position, though the Swiss in question shouldn't be allowed to leave so easily, if at all.

But his time at Arsenal should not be remembered for the few performances where he was beaten for pace or played in a wrong pass, it should be remembered for helping Bellerin play the best football he has played in years and for passing down the knowledge that will make the Spaniard one of the best fullbacks in world football.

Arsenal fans, was Lichtsteiner a good summer signing?