Arsenal star Lucas Torreira could reportedly be on his way back to Italy in January as Napoli have made a €30 million bid to secure his signing.
According to a report from Italian publication Gazetta dello Sport, as carried by Football Italia, Serie A giants Napoli have launched a €30 million bid to sign Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira in the upcoming transfer window.
Torreira joined Arsenal in the summer window of last year, signing from Italian outfit Sampdoria for a transfer fee of €30 million. The Uruguayan international made a solid start to life with the Gunners, but his form has suffered due to former manager Unai Emery’s incessant tactical and positional changes.
Till date, Torreira has made 71 appearances for Arsenal, scoring four goals and setting up five more. However, the 23-year-old is understood to have found it hard to settle in England and is open to a return to Italy. There had been strong interest in the midfielder from AC Milan in the summer, but nothing materialized on that front.
And now, Napoli have made the Uruguayan international a key transfer target ahead of the January transfer window. As per the aforementioned report, the Partenopei have made an offer of €30 million to secure the Arsenal superstar’s services.
Napoli are understood to have proposed an initial loan deal for Torreira, with an obligation to make the transfer permanent in the summer of 2021. They are prepared to pay a loan fee of €3 million to sign him up now and will shell out €27 million eighteen months later to land the midfielder permanently.
Arsenal are in a turmoil after a disappointing start to the season led to Emery’s sacking, while things haven’t improved a great deal under caretaker boss Freddie Ljungberg. The midfield department has been found wanting, with Matteo Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka and Joe Willock all struggling, while Torreira himself has blown hot and cold over the course of his 21 appearances.
Former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is believed to be the frontrunner for the managerial role at the Emirates. And the Manchester City assistant coach would be reluctant to lose Torreira midway through the campaign, especially with Arsenal short on quality in the defensive midfield position and question marks over the future of Xhaka.
Torreira is contracted with Arsenal till the summer of 2023 and it seems a tad unlikely that the Gunners will allow him to leave in January given their current plight. Napoli might have to look elsewhere to strengthen their midfield with Genk’s Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge reported to be a potential alternative.
