AC Milan and Fiorentina are both eyeing summer moves for Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira this summer.
Having only joined the club in the summer of 2018, he was used heavily by former boss Unai Emery in some, if not wrong, unconventional positions, but has seen his game time dwindle under Mikel Arteta.
According to the Telegraph, the aforementioned Serie A duo are planning a move for the Uruguayan, with Milan also doing so in the previous window. Torreira has previously discussed his struggles adapting to English life after moving from Sampdoria, with a keen interest in selling arms.
Why are Arsenal ready to sell him? It’s a simple answer, really: They need better players.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Torreira is a bad player. Far from it. He was quite impressive in his debut season with the club, with that strong will to win over Arsenal fans in record time – not to mention his goal against Tottenham, which won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
However, Emery’s surprising insistence on playing him as a number ten and subsequent injuries stunted his progress, with Arteta now considering Granit Xhaka to play the role alongside creator Dani Ceballos. is preferred.
The midfield is one area of the squad that craves a lot of surgery. Thomas Partey is a name that has been buzzing in the air for quite some time, but Atletico Madrid are not willing to budge. It’s his £45m release clause or bust.
To bring him in – or any midfield reinforcements on the club’s radar – Arsenal will have to raise funds from player sales. A few valuable team members are indispensable, but a fiery midfielder doesn’t fit into that bracket. A review of the entire squad suggests that very few do.
Recent history serves as a painful reminder that the number of assets the club has is few and far between. At least, those who can command any half-decent fee. What Arsenal have in Torreira is a player who is willing to move elsewhere, there are clubs interested in him, but most of all, a solid 24-year-old with three years left on his contract. This is money that the club cannot afford to ignore. Especially since they are after at least what they paid – £26m.
Finances are tight. Tough enough that the club needed to make 55 staff redundant, although fan sentiment over that is best left for another piece.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Instagram Story: Sead Kolasinak and Aubameyang present Lucas Torreira with a new Arsenal ‘kit’. ?? [IG story: aubameyang97] #afc
Never change, @Aubameyang7! [email protected] @LTorreira34 pic.twitter.com/93MEmmKNjY
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 30, 2020
A substantial overhaul is in the pipeline. Arteta hinted, nudged and flirted with the notion, until he bluntly said ‘listen we need better players here, finally’. Not quite literally, but close enough. Generally what we’ve seen from Arteta’s short reign at the club is that when he says something, it comes true. Whether he’s weeding out bad eggs – the frizzy-haired one – or confidently claiming that players are about to sign new contracts – Saka – he’s been quite the place so far.
The same applies to recruiting, where he has to clear out a pile of deadwood to plant a few hectares of Bellerin-inspired brand new trees. To do that, players will have to leave, Torreira being one of them.
It will be a sad departure. His time in north London has been fraught with cultural concerns and disastrous choices by his former manager, but he has always worn his heart on his sleeve. No wonder he endeared himself to supporters so quickly.
Arteta’s revolution is about to begin – without Torreira/Catherine Ivel/Getty Images
However, to make way for new shores, a departure must be made. According to those helping to rebuild it, the ‘only five foot tall’ man needs to make way. Pretty much, in fairness, he’s just one of them.
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