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Arsenal have been left frustrated after Serie A outfit Fiorentina offered €7m (£6m) for Lucas Torreira, according to reports.
The Uruguay international has spent the campaign on loan in Serie A and has played a key role in Fiorentina’s side.
The Italian club are keen to keep Torreira, who was signed by Arsenal for £26 million in 2018, on a permanent deal.
The midfielder’s agent, Pablo Bentancur, previously revealed that Arsenal turned down Fiorentina’s attempt to lower the €15m (£12.6m) right-to-buy option.
According to Fiorentina.it, the Gunners’ hierarchy are now ‘annoyed’ by Fiorentina’s decision to offer less than half that amount for Torreira now that his loan has finished.
Torreira has just a year remaining on his deal with Arsenal and the Gunners are keen to sell in order to use the funds to help bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer.
The report claims that Arsenal have not even responded to Fiorentina’s proposal, while the Serie A club also avoided paying a €1.5m (£1.2m) loan fee as the midfielder played over 25 games last season.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the midfielder will definitely return to north London this summer.
He tweeted: “Official. Fiorentina won’t trigger the buy option for Lucas Torreira from Arsenal, no agreement on €15m fee to be paid within today.”
“I’m sad – I did my best to stay here but someone didn’t want…”, Torreira says.
“He’s now back at Arsenal, out of contract in 2023.”
Torreira’s exile from the team has come amid Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka becoming the solid duo in midfield for Arsenal. With Arteta aiming to boost quality in that area, the Uruguayan is now deemed surplus to requirements.
The £18m-rated ace enjoyed a stunning campaign for La Viola last term, featuring in 31 games and registering five goals and one assist as the club finished seventh in Serie A picking up a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League for next season.
He finished the campaign strong form, scoring three times and laying on another goal in his previous seven outings.
However, the 26-year-old’s future is now set to take a different path and with only one year remaining on his current deal at the Emirates, the Gunners face a big decision over his future in the coming months.
AND in other news, Arsenal interested in “intelligent and technically gifted” South American “ball-winner”…
