Reports suggest Fiorentina have made an offer for Torreira, agent says no offers received
Fiorentina have reportedly offered to pay a £7.6 million loan fee to sign Lucas Torreira in the current transfer window with an obligation to make the move permanent next summer, according to Italian media outlet La Stampa via Viola News.
The Italian side have offered to pay the Gunners £16.1 million next summer which would mean a total package of £23.7 million. Arsenal are believed to want in the region of £27 million for the Uruguay international but are yet to respond to the latest offer presented to them by Fiorentina.
According to Uruguayan journalist Rodrigo Romano, Arsenal are willing to let Torreira leave for a loan fee with an option for Fiorentina to make the move permanent next summer for £16 million. The 24 year old is reportedly not in Arteta’s plans for the coming season.
AC Milan, Roma, Torino and Atletico are also said to be keeping tabs on the Arsenal midfielder. Milan were keen on signing the 24 year old last summer but the North London club were not open to sanctioning Torreira’s sale at the time. Their position has changed now and it remains to be seen if the Italian club will make an offer for the player.
The player’s agent, Pablo Bentancur, has said that no official bids have been made so far and that a lot of the rumours floating around are more about publicity than reality, in an interview with Italian media outlet Calciomercato. He said:
“There are many requests, but still nothing official. I have received many surveys, even too publicized, but we have nothing written on the table. The player is training with Arsenal, is their property, and is one of the few cases of athletes coming to England and playing 50 games in a row.”
“After he had a bad injury, he didn’t have to undergo surgery but the return was a bit complicated. The coach has to make a technical choice, and he has to decide if he really needs Torreira or not, but all this the press talks about is more publicity than reality. Today the market is a bit stagnant, [no] official offers, I repeat.”
On Torino’s interest in the player, he said:
“Football must be divided into two parts, the sports and the economic. Sportively Torreira is perfect for Turin, where there is Giampaolo who has always wanted him, but we must be aware of the fact that Arsenal will have a substantial demand, and I think Lucas’ salary is also a bit too high for Turin.”
On interest from AC Milan, Napoli and Roma, he said:
“I received a few calls, but nothing official. First Arsenal must have the coach’s ok for the sale, and then I think the Gunners will want to sell it outright. It is normal that he is sought after by Italian clubs, he is a very modern player and has already shown that he is suitable for the Premier and Serie A. I had a few phone calls but nothing official, however, first we must publicly know the position of the coach.”
The former Sampdoria midfielder is open to a move back to Italy. He is keen on playing regularly and knows that if he does not play week in week out, his place in the Uruguay national team will be under threat. Torreira looks unlikely to be a guaranteed starter at Arsenal this season. The Gunners are open to selling him for the right price this summer as they need to raise funds for further incomings.
It is believed that Fiorentina will turn their attention towards Espanyol’s Marc Roca if their pursuit to sign Torreira is not a success, according to Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sports Italy.
