Agent claims Arsenal player has agreement with another club, but Arteta is standing in the way

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Lucas Torreira is wanted by Valencia – but Mikel Arteta wants to see him play for Arsenal in pre-season action this summer.

After making four first-team signings, the time has come for Arsenal to focus on offloading some fringe players.

Bernd Leno looks set to join Fulham in the near future whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Reiss Nelson and Nuno Tavares are all being linked away.

Lucas Torreira was expected to be leaving too, but there could be a twist in the tale with the midfielder.

Lucas Torreira is wanted by Valencia

Torreira spent last season on loan at Fiorentina, enjoying a strong spell with five goals in 35 appearances.

Fiorentina did try to buy Torreira permanently but the deal was scrapped earlier this summer.

That means Torreira is heading back to Arsenal and his future is up in the air.

It would appear that Mikel Arteta has no real plans for Torreira given that he allowed him to spend the 2020-21 season on loan with Atletico Madrid.

Juventus were linked with a move for Torreira over the weekend but there could be a way back for him at Arsenal.

Agent Pablo Bentancur has told Sport890 back in Uruguay that there is an agreement for Torreira to join Valencia this summer.

Valencia’s new boss Gennaro Gattuso wanted Torreira at Fiorentina, and the deal actually went through after he had already quit.

Bentancur claims there is a meeting today surrounding Torreira’s move to Valencia, but it could be held up because Arteta wants the midfielder in pre-season preparations.

Arsenal need midfielders and it may well be that Arteta wants a close look at Torreira again before deciding whether to splash the cash on a new face.

“We have a pre-agreement with Gattuso for Torreira to play in Valencia. Today there is an important meeting on this issue. Arsenal coach Arteta wants to have him in the preseason,” said Bentancur.

It still seems likely that Torreira will be leaving, but nothing can be ruled out with an Arsenal exit now thrown into some doubt.