Arsenal and Everton have been linked with Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira.
According to Gianluca di Marzio, Arsenal have opened talks with Sampdoria over a deal for midfielder Lucas Torreira – a player who has been heavily linked with Everton for the past few weeks.
The report claims the 22-year-old has a £22 million release clause, although the Italian side would prefer a higher amount paid over a longer period of time as Arsenal open discussions with the club.
Torreira is a Uruguay international and is expected to shine for his national team at the upcoming World Cup, perhaps prompting more attention to his availability if he has not already left by then.
Everton were said to be keen admirers of the player, with Calciomercato recently citing their strong interest although they may now find themselves out of the running with bigger clubs allegedly on the prowl.
With age on his side, he would have been absolutely ideal for the Toffees, as the Merseyside club need to purchase players with big potential if they are to compete for a top six spot.
Everton’s transfer policy over the past two seasons has been rather poor, and they have shelled out a lot of money on players such as Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson who both have little re-sale value.
Torreira, considering his age, current ability and potential, could be a bargain at £22 million and, with a well-documented buyout clause, it begs the question why Everton have not made their move sooner.
They could have potentially tied up a deal a month or so ago but leaving it so close to the World Cup was always a risk and they may now find Arsenal’s alleged interest as a major stumbling block in any potential deal.
Moreover, the report also named Napoli as another suitor and, with Carlo Ancelotti’s men having Champions League football to offer, even the Gunners may struggle to win the battle for his signature.
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