Kevin Campbell told the Highbury Squad that Mikel Arteta ‘cannot start playing’ players, such as Lucas Torreira, who don’t want to be at Arsenal.
The 25-year-old was on-loan at Athletico Madrid last season, but that move to Spain didn’t work out for the Arsenal midfielder as he struggled for game time with the La Liga winning side.
It has been suggested that Torreira’s agent has offered him to other clubs because his client is keen to leave Arsenal this summer.
And Campbell shared his thoughts on what Arsenal should do with Torreira because, at this moment in time, he’s part of Arteta’s plans for the new Premier League season.
“Then he has to come back (if Arsenal cannot move Torreira on),” said Campbell. “He would be a squad player.
“But you know he doesn’t want to be there. You cannot start playing players who don’t want to be at the football club.
“It’s not toxic (for the dressing room if certain players don’t want to be at the club). It’s more of a pity party, isn’t there?
“When a player is there, you know he is there and he doesn’t want to be there. Everyone is nice around him because you want to make him feel comfortable. But that fire isn’t there. The fire for the badge isn’t there.”
It would be a surprise if Arsenal cannot offload Torreira this summer, especially given that he wants to leave.
But the aggressive-natured midfielder might not be the only one heading for the North London exit door because Granit Xhaka has also been touted to join Roma.
Either way, Torreria, who was purchased by Unai Emery for £26 million (BBC Sport), started life in a positive fashion at Arsenal, before it all started unravelling and now he needs to get his career back on track.
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