The deal to sign Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria has reportedly reached its conclusion, according to reports in Gazzetta Dello Sport.
The report states that the midfielder is expected to sign a five-year deal with the North London club and the transfer will cost around £26.4m(€30m). Further reports from Uruguay, suggest that the deal will completed ‘in hours’ as Arsenal officials have flown out to Russia to complete deal.
The transfer fee is more than the player’s release clause, but the Gunners are paying a premium to disperse the sum in installments. Signing the player has not been a straightforward task.
There was a lot of competition from Napoli in particular. But, the financial package the London club offered was what the player and his agent wanted. Uruguay play their first match of the World Cup on the 15th of June but the signing is to be completed at the earliest.
Arsenal fans have not been used to the signings made at a quick pace. This summer seems to be a little different in that respect. This is only good news for everyone involved. Torreira will become the second signing of the summer transfer window after Stephan Lichtsteiner. Although he is not the most high-profile player the Gunners could have got, it is without a doubt a great move by the club.
The player fills in a gap that Arsenal have had for some quite now. What makes the deal even more exciting is the way in which he will be able to complement the qualities of Granit Xhaka. Torreira is aggressive when it comes to tackling. By doing this, he will free Xhaka do what he does best, which is to dictate play. The Uruguayan has been a key member of a very impressive Sampdoria side.
Though he came to Italy as a striker, his qualities have been better used in the middle of the park. Here, his tenacity coupled with his acceleration and his passing ability made him a very effective weapon. An even more exciting aspect of his play is the talent he has from set-pieces.
Arsenal fans will be hoping that this will translate to the Premier League. Though it is not easy for people to adjust to a new country, Torreira seems to have what it takes to succeed. Let us hope that the deal is made official soon.
