Unable to find a space in Mikel Arteta’s plans, Lucas Torreira was sent by Arsenal to Fiorentina on loan for the season.
The Uruguayan has since flourished in Florence under Vincenzo Italiano, and he was one of the best players on the pitch during the 6-0 drubbing of Genoa at the weekend.
Because of this, and the fact the Gunners are interested in Dusan Vlahovic, there has been talk that the midfielder could be included in a deal for the Serbian, thus lowering Arsenal’s expenditure.
A pre-agreed fee of €15m was sorted out with the loan deal, so that’s the amount they would be working with in that particular scenario, but Corriere dello Sport reckon it might simply be easier for Fiorentina to buy him before the end of the campaign.
It’s said a ‘four-year deal is ready for him’, and the ‘estimated times’ of the option to buy being triggered would be in ‘spring’, with ‘March-April’ being the ‘limit they have set themselves as there are no obstacles of any kind in the way’.
What could trigger ‘an acceleration’, however, would be for Arsenal to use Torreira in a move for Vlahovic, which is something Fiorentina are ‘trying to favour’.
The problem there, as has been widely reported, is the Serbian’s reluctance to move in January, meaning this might not be feasible.
One thing is certain, however, is that Fiorentina ‘have found the regista they were looking for, and they will keep him tight’.
