Lucas Torreira suffered another setback in the form of an injury knock this weekend, amid reports Fiorentina hope to buy him permanently.

Facing Atalanta at the weekend, Lucas Torreira was forced off the pitch with a knock after just 38 minutes. He’d been playing a good game to that point, completing 91% of his passes and making a couple of interceptions.

The appearance was Torreira’s first in Serie A since his red card earlier this month, as he served his one-game ban during the away trip to Spezia Calcio last weekend.

Apart from the cup quarter-final victory over Atalanta on February 10th, this has been a low point for Torreira’s loan spell so far. The red card and the injury have halted his progress, which is a shame when Fiorentina fans suggest he’s been one of their key players lately.

Lucas Torreira has been a regular in the Fiorentina side in Serie A this season, making 21 league appearances with a few months of the campaign still left to play.

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.

“Torreira is happy in Florence, he is one of the best players there.”

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.

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.