Lucas Torreira suggested he has spoken to Jose Mourinho about a move to AS Roma, thus confirming the Serie A club’s interest.
Lucas Torreira’s future remains uncertain for the third consecutive summer. The Uruguayan midfielder has spent the last two seasons away on loan. Despite his obvious abilities, the midfielder has struggled to cement his place in a side and finds himself at a crossroads yet again.
Mikel Arteta does not count on the midfielder to feature in his Arsenal team and has sent him away on two loan spells to Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina. While Torreira couldn’t find his rhythm in Madrid, he became a fan favourite in Florence and won their Player of the Month accolade three times last season.
Torreira was primed to permanently join Fiorentina this summer, as his loan deal included a €15 million option to buy the Uruguayan. Despite the Serie A side showing signs of making a move, they started flirting around with the idea of reducing the price tag.
Fiorentina ended up offering half of what was agreed beforehand with Arsenal. The north Londoners were not prepared to accept less than what they valued the player at, resulting in Torreira returning to Arsenal and starting pre-season training with the Gunners. An exit is very likely though, with there being interest from AS Roma, as Jose Mourinho remains keen on bringing in a new midfielder.
Recently, Torreira confirmed Roma’s interest and suggested he had spoken to Mourinho, thus fueling speculation he could move to the Italian capital. As quoted by Ovacion (h/t Sport Witness) Torreira said: “I spoke with Mourinho some time ago. He is a coach that I admire. It is a chance that seduces me, but it is not easy.”
Last summer, Mourinho and Roma desperately wanted to sign Granit Xhaka from Arsenal, but they could not agree on a fee. The Portuguese boss then took Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan from the Gunners in January, and now he may end up with Torreira.
However, Roma are not the only club keen on Torreira, as there is reported interest from Juventus in the midfielder. For now, Torreira is part of Arsenal’s pre-season tour to the USA, as the club has not found any viable suitors yet for the midfielder. However, the chances of a departure are very high and a move away from the north London club could transpire in the coming weeks.
