Arsenal would be better off selling Mesut Ozil (Getty Images)
According to Labaro Viola (h/t The Sun), Arsenal are in talks with Fiorentina over a loan deal for Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira this summer.
Torreira was hot property after his exploits for Uruguay in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Arsenal fended off a host of clubs to secure his services. However, he has fallen off the pecking order at the club and Fiorentina are looking to take him on a season-long loan in deal worth £8m. They will then pay another £16m fee to make the transfer next summer (h/t The Sun)
Lucas Torreira is a 24-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Arsenal. He started out his senior career at Pescara, whom he joined from Uruguayan club Montevideo Wanderers in 2014. Sampdoria came calling in 2015 but he was allowed to return to Pescara on loan for the 2015-16 season.
He went on to become a mainstay in the Sampdoria team once he returned from Pescara. After two seasons at the club, he moved to English shores when Arsenal bought him in 2018. The Uruguayan is also an important part of the national setup and has already racked up 23 appearances for the country.
After a stellar first season, Torreira has fallen down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta. The stark improvement in Granit Xhaka’s game has led to Torreira beoming second choice. As a result, he made just 17 league starts in the season gone by.
Under Arteta, the Gunners are switching to a more technical and fluid passing nature of play. Dani Ceballos has already returned for another season on loan from Real Madrid. In addition, Arteta is also looking to bring in the likes of Thomas Partey from Atletico and Houssem Aouar from Lyon (h/t Independent).
And in order to make these deals possible, funds need to be raised by selling players that no longer fit the manager’s vision. Thus, offloading Torreira this summer would be a sensible move on the club’s part. Partey, should Arsenal sign him, would be very much a like-for-like replacement for Torreira.
Arsenal are making the right decision to show Torreira the exit given the fact that he has fallen down the pecking order under Arteta. Furthermore, the club have a similar player on their transfer wishlist in the form of Thomas Partey. Arteta and Arsenal are in need of funds to bring in their transfer targets. And offloading Torreira would help them towards that.
