Last summer, Arsenal allowed Lucas Torreira to join Fiorentina on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy set at €15m.
The 26-year-old impressed for the Serie A side this term and his performances convinced them to make an effort to retain him at the club.
On May 14th, Corriere dello Sport stated the Italian club are in talks with Arsenal to lower the €15m purchase clause for the midfielder.
Fiorentina were not just trying to get a discount on the transfer fee, but also wanted to reduce the Uruguay international’s salary. This was revealed by Torreira’s agent Pablo Bentancur.
“The basic problem is that Lucas at was earning a higher salary at Arsenal than he did in Florence,” the agent told Fiorentinanews.com.
“When we agreed on the €1.5m loan [fee] with Arsenal last summer, I got from the English club the possibility that Fiorentina would not pay that money if Lucas had played at least 25 games [he reached 31, so his loan is cost 0 to La Viola]. With this option we have set the right of redemption at €15m, payable in 6 instalments of €2.5m by 2025.
“We had agreed on a salary with Fiorentina for the coming seasons of €2.7m net per year. Fiorentina, however, now wanted to lower both the salary and the cost of the transfer fee. We couldn’t accept this and even Arsenal didn’t accept it either. Now Lucas has a contract with the Gunners until June 30, 2023.”
Torreira has been out on loan at Atlético Madrid and Fiorentina since the summer of 2020 and is unlikely to be included in Mikel Arteta’s plans next campaign.
Fiorentina’s effort to reduce the fee and the player’s salary were rejected by the two parties. The South American, who was keen to continue with the Italian club, will now have to return to the Emirates and then sort out his future.
“I would like to stay at Fiorentina, but it depends on Arsenal,” Torreira told Polideportivo, relayed by Fiorentinanews.com.
“When I returned from vacation last summer, Arsenal were clear: there was no place in the club for me and I understood that.
“I returned to Italy, to Fiorentina, but after the holidays I will have to return to Arsenal and train with the team. Then we will decide with my agent what will be best for me.”
