Lucas Torreira will be an Atletico Madrid player by Friday, according to Italian outlet TMW.
They claim that negotiations are almost done and provided there aren’t any late hiccups, the 24-year-old’s exit will be confirmed today or tomorrow.
That would mean Torreira is out of Arsenal’s plans when they host Sheffield United on Sunday afternoon.
There has been an acceptance at Arsenal that they need to sell in order to buy the players they need this summer.
Torreira isn’t a dud by anyone’s reckoning, but if the Gunners want Thomas Partey or Houssem Aouar before Monday’s deadline, players have got to go out first.
Torreira’s impending exit makes sense if they get one of those two elite targets to fill the space in midfield.
Arteta has had to make decisions over players who are not necessarily complete outcasts, but also not integral to his plans and could raise some cash in the market this summer.
Torreira was the defensive midfielder Unai Emery hung his hopes on when he arrived at Arsenal.
It hasn’t worked out perfectly, but he does seem ideal for Diego Simeone’s style of play in Spain.
Let’s see if Arsenal manage to get a midfield replacement of the right calibre to replace him.
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