Transfer Centre

Lucas Torreira father hints at Arsenal exit for midfielder

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 22 March 2019

Lucas Torreira's father Ricardo claims that the Arsenal midfielder may seek a move back to Italy in the future, having come close to joining Napoli last summer.

Lucas Torreira's father Ricardo has hinted that the Arsenal midfielder could head back to Italy, despite his impressive form during his maiden campaign in English football.

The 23-year-old has starred for the Gunners in the engine room since being brought in from Sampdoria last summer in a £26m deal.

Torreira has featured in 29 of Arsenal's 30 Premier League matches and is already a fans' favourite at the Emirates Stadium, where he is contracted until 2023.

According to the midfielder's father, however, Torreira was on the brink of joining Napoli last year and he may look to move back to Serie A in the near future.

"It's true, Lucas was very close to Napoli," he told Radio Marte. "There were negotiations with Napoli, but something strange happened, and you know in the transfer market things can change from one moment to the next.

"Negotiations are long and complicated processes, so it can happen than they don't go the way we expected. There was this opportunity to go to England and Lucas took it, so I have to say he is happy at Arsenal.

"Obviously, Lucas is very fond of Italian football, where he grew up, and might return to Italy in future. You can never say never, so it's possible he could come back to this marvellous country and, why not to Napoli or another club that makes an offer?"

Torreira spent four years in Italian football before making the switch to Arsenal, having also previously represented Pescara.