Lucas Torreira will head back to Arsenal following a successful loan spell at Fiorentina. The Uruguayan midfielder quickly became a key cog of the squad. However, the Viola tried to revise the terms of the permanent transfer, and he and his agent turned them down.
According to Calciomercato, the club wanted to lower the €15M option to buy him from the Gunners, even though it would have been diluted in six installments until 2025. Another sticking point was that they asked the player to take a further pay cut. He had already agreed to decrease his wages from €3.4M to €2.7M per year to return to Italy.
Torreira suspiciously did not start in his final matches with Fiorentina to avoid triggering some bonuses related to his appearances. Sofyan Amrabat filled in for him, faring well. He featured in 35 games this season, tallying 5 goals and 2 assists. The 26-year-old could be an option for other Serie A teams looking for a distributor. He has just one year on his contract with the London club.
Pablo Bentacur, the agent of Torreira, commented to Fiorentina News: “He loves the city, and he is very disappointed with how the club behaved. We had set up a €1.5M loan spell from Arsenal, with a €15M clause. We had already come to terms on his salary for years to come. However, the Viola wanted to change that and also the fee. We did not accept, and neither did the Gunners. He appreciated his stay here, and he had fallen in love with Florence.”