Lucas Torreira’s agent has confirmed that Fiorentina want to buy the Arsenal midfielder permanently but Arsenal are not happy with Fiorentina.
Lucas Torreira has been a regular in the Fiorentina side in Serie A this season, making 20 league appearances with a few months of the campaign still left to play.
Though the Arsenal loanee missed Fiorentina’s last game through a red-card suspension, his spell has generally been going very well.
The Uruguay international has made himself a popular figure in Florence, and his agent says the club now want to buy him.
“Fiorentina want to buy him on a permanent deal, Torreira is playing very well in Florence,” Pablo Bentancur told Sport890 (via Football-Italia).
“He is the same player who used to be, dynamic and consistent.
“However, Arsenal are a bit upset because they wanted Dusan Vlahovic, who went to Juventus instead.
“Fiorentina wanted to sell him to Arsenal, but the striker and his agents picked Juventus. Players have the last word.
“Torreira is happy in Florence, he is one of the best players there.”
You’d think Arsenal wouldn’t hold too much of a grudge with Fiorentina, given it was ultimately up to Vlahovic and his agents where the striker went.
Relations might be a little strained right now, but it shouldn’t get in the way of a deal.
One potential stumbling block is that Repubblica recently reported that qualification for European competition is a prerequisite for the completion of Torreira’s permanent transfer to Fiorentina.
Particularly in the wake of Vlahovic’s departure, Fiorentina’s hopes of making it up into the European places are in the balance.
They’re three points off sixth (the first guaranteed European place) with a game in hand as it stands.
Arsenal agreed to a €15m option to buy with Fiorentina at the start of the season, which seems like good value at the moment. If Torreira’s loan side qualify for European competition, there’s no reason to expect they won’t activate it.