Lucas Torreira’s agent has revealed that he could have left Arsenal for AC Milan this summer, and the reaction from some Gunners fans has been mixed.
Torreira only joined the club last year following an excellent season at Sampdoria but failed to nail down a place in Unai Emery’s starting line-up throughout the campaign.
Pablo Bentancur, who represents the midfielder, told TMW, as cited by The Express, about how close the Uruguay international came to leaving Arsenal. He said:
There was the possibility. [Marco] Giampaolo is in the heart of Lucas. But Arsenal said they had no intention of selling the boy.
Lucas is fine, the club are happy with him. This will be the year of consecration. With the Arsenal shirt. Milan is Milan, it will always be an important team, even if today it has some economic problems.
It’s safe to say that these Arsenal fans have strong views on Torreira’s situation…
Twitter: @MrArsenicTM The boy hasn’t had a good game since beginning of the year, honestly I think we can do better, he’s no… https://t.co/vBfbFg5ffM (@Cebo_Kzyo)
Twitter: @MrArsenicTM So many
in this thread, @LTorreira34 is class and has played well for us in the league. We were l… https://t.co/yqswT2y90j (@JerryTaylorX3)
Twitter: @MrArsenicTM 50M for short slow cant start for Uruguay will do for me (@MamdohALSulami)
Twitter: @MrArsenicTM I would let him go for 45/50mill (@hans_walker75)
Twitter: @MrArsenicTM Arsenal finally got a cdm and some people want him gone, this fanbase
(@jerushan_17)
Read Arsenal’s verdict
Torreira didn’t start life in English football as impressively as he’d have hoped. However, he remains a hugely talented player, and letting him leave after just one year would be an ill-advised decision from the club.
His tenacity and reading of the game are perfect fits for the style that Emery employs, and with a full year of adjustment to the Premier League under his belt, there is no reason why Torreira can’t flourish this term.
Offloading him – particularly with the English transfer window shut – would be a nonsensical decision. If he can recapture his form from his time under Giampaolo at Sampdoria, Arsenal will have some player on their hands.
