Arsenal player Lucas Torreira in action. (GETTY Images)
According to Italian outlet Football Italia (h/t football.london), Arsenal are considering including 25-year-old midfielder Lucas Torreira in a swap deal for Lazio forward, Joaquin Correa. The Gunners have been linked with the Argentine, who can, according to La Repubblica (h/t Football.london), cost them over £25million.
Torreira, on the other hand, spent the last season away on loan. The Uruguayan midfielder was loaned out to Atletico Madrid, where he won the league title under Diego Simeone. And given the current situation at the Emirates, we look at why it’s wiser for them to keep hold of Torreira instead of swapping him for Correa.
The midfield crisis at Arsenal this summer is something that Mikel Arteta must address. Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos were loaned in from Real Madrid last season and played an important role in Arsenal’s midfield. However, according to AS English, the duo has returned to Madrid.
Their problems are compounded by Granit Xhaka’s potential exit. The 28-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Serie A side AS Roma, with a report by Corriere dello Sport (h/t The Express) mentioning that the Swiss midfielder has asked the club to let him leave and join Jose Mourinho’s Roma side.
Xhaka was a vital piece of the puzzle at Arsenal during the latest campaign where he featured in 45 games for the club in all competitions. The former FC Basel man occupied the midfield and it would be necessary for the club to replace him one way or the other if he leaves.
And Torreira can do just that. The Uruguayan international, who was signed from Sampdoria in 2018, already has 89 appearances for the Gunners. He was also not warming the bench in Madrid, as he made 26 appearances for Simeone’s side. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Yes, he was loaned out to Spain last summer, but with an exodus of midfielders now beckoning, Arteta should reconsider any move that could see Torreira leave Arsenal. To make matters worse, Mohamed Elneny, a potential solution in that area for the Gunners, also runs out of contract next summer.
And according to Football.london, the futures of Joe Willock, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Matteo Guendouzi are also up in the air. In such a situation, the club would be wise to hold onto Torreira instead of using him as a makeweight in any deal for Joaquin Correa. That is not to say that they should call off their pursuit of the former Sevilla man.
But the club should look for other ways to get in the versatile 26-year-old forward instead of sacrificing a useful midfielder like Lucas Torreira. Moreover, the Premier League side still have Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on their books. So missing out on Correa would not be a dagger through their hearts.
However, it is evident that the Gunners need a midfielder, which is reflected in their pursuit of players such as Ruben Neves. The Metro reports that the Gunners could launch a £35million bid for him. But the question beckons that if they have someone like Torreira, should they not look to re-integrate him into the team rather than spending big elsewhere?
