A couple of Italian teams are looking to rival Fiorentina for the signing of Lucas Torreira, according to reports from the country.

FLORENCE, ITALY: Lucas Sebastián Torreira Di Pascua of ACF Fiorentina in action during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 27, 2022. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
FLORENCE, ITALY: Lucas Sebastián Torreira Di Pascua of ACF Fiorentina in action during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 27, 2022. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

TMW report that Lazio have made contact to try and steal ahead of Fiorentina for Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira, following Fiorentina’s failure to activate their purchase clause by this week’s deadline.

La Nazione add that there are at least a couple of proposals to sign Torreira from Italian teams. Valencia also get a mention, but they’re written off on the basis that it seems Torreira wants to remain in Italy.

The suggestion in La Nazione’s piece is that Fiorentina would still be keen to bring Torreira back at a lower price than they agreed on last summer, but they’ve reached a stalemate in negotiations.

From Arsenal’s point of view, it’s good to get some other parties involved, to either force Fiorentina’s hand or find an alternate buyer.

Torreira has admitted he’d like to stay in Florence if he gets the opportunity, though.

“My intention is to stay at Fiorentina,” Torreira admitted recently. “But it will be necessary for the club to find an agreement with Arsenal. I’m perfectly fine in Florence. I am fine in Italy.”

FLORENCE, ITALY - APRIL 03: Lucas Sebastián Torreira Di Pascua of ACF Fiorentina reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Empoli FC at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 3, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
FLORENCE, ITALY: Lucas Sebastián Torreira Di Pascua of ACF Fiorentina reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Empoli FC at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 3, 2022. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Fiorentina’s initial decision not to activate Torreira’s purchase clause went down badly with the supporters, who had voted Torreira their Player of the Month three times in the first four months of 2022.

After that news broke, Torreira’s agent Pablo Bentancur spoke to Fiorentina News to explain that the issue was that the Serie A side came to an agreement with Arsenal and Torreira and then tried to renegotiate with both of them.

“The basic problem is that Lucas (Torreira) earned a higher salary at Arsenal than he took in Florence,” Bentancur said.

“When we agreed on the €1.5 million loan with Arsenal last summer, I got from the English club that Fiorentina would not pay that money if Lucas played at least 25 games (he reached 31 in the league).

“With this, we set the option-to-buy at €15 million, payable in 6 installments of €2.5m by 2025.

“We had agreed on a (player) contract with Fiorentina for the coming seasons of €2.7 million net a year. Fiorentina, however, now wanted to lower both [Torreira’s] salary and the cost of the transfer.

“We couldn’t accept, and Arsenal didn’t accept either. Now Lucas has a contract with the Gunners until June 30, 2023.”

Torreira made 35 appearances for Fiorentina and helped them to a final-day win over Juventus to secure European football for the first time in six years.