Arsenal contacted by Napoli sporting director over Torreira transfer as Serie A side seek 18-month loan move
A RETURN to Serie A is on the cards for Lucas Torreira as Napoli make contact over a move for the Arsenal midfielder.
Gooners would be sent into meltdown once again if the popular Uruguayan is allowed to leave for a reported £25million.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Partenopei sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli wants to sign the player on an initial 18-month loan spell.
That involves just a £2.5m fee before Napoli hand over £22m to make the deal permanent.
Since arriving from Sampdoria 18 months ago, Torreira has struggled to nail down a consistent starting spot.
Departed boss Unai Emery rotated him in and out of the team this season, the 23-year-old making just five league starts under the Spaniard before earning more chances to impress under caretaker Freddie Ljungberg.
The past few months have seen Torreira and agent Pablo Bentacur air their concerns about the team on more than one occasion.
In the summer, the tough-tackler admitted that he preferred living in Italy, where he spent five years with Pescara and Sampdoria.
He said: “I think it was better in Italy. England is a totally different world, a very large country.
“The language [barrier] has stopped me, to be able to relate with my teammates and with the people. It is very difficult when you can’t have dialogue.”
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Amid recent links to AC Milan, agent Bentacur claimed Torreira was unhappy with how he was being deployed before Emery’s sacking.
He told Radio Marteof: “I don’t know how things are, but I think Arsenal wants to keep him.
“In the new role, he is not at ease but we respect the coach’s decisions, then we’ll see what happens.”
La Gazzetta note that Napoli will look to sign West Ham and Liverpool target Sander Berge if Torreira cannot satisfy their hunt for an anchor man midfielder.