Arsenal look likely to sign the Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Arsenal are in a state of rebuilding their squad for next season, under new boss Unai Emery. They have had an impressive window so far, already signing Bernd Leno and Stephan Lichtsteiner. It looks likely that Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Lucas Torreira will join the club too.
An abundance of new names can either mean good or bad things. From an Arsenal perspective, things can’t get much worse than last season, so the results can only get better.
One signing intrigues me the most, and that’s Lucas Torreira. According to the Telegraph, a deal is close to being finalized.
What does Lucas Torreira bring to Arsenal?
Quick disclaimer – watching him at the World Cup, it’s easy to underestimate or overestimate his worth to a team.
Uruguay have had a good campaign so far, and Torreira has been one of their brightest stars. He always looks to provide defensive cover to the back line, something which Arsenal have lacked in recent seasons.
He isn’t afraid to do the dirty work, but he shouldn’t be judged solely on this. He does like to push forward on the occasion, even if his attacking prowess doesn’t quite match his defensive ability.
Granit Xhaka will benefit from this.
Ever since his arrival from the Bundesliga, Xhaka has been expected to vacate a role which isn’t suited to him. We all know his defending isn’t his best asset, yet he’s been forced to do this.
He likes to dictate play in the midfield, playing the most passes in a team. This is how he is used in the Swiss national team, and how he was used at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bringing in Torreira will take the defensive onus away from Xhaka, and allow him to naturally flourish.
Arsenal lined up with a three man midfield at the back end of last season, and this is something Emery should continue heading forward.
The Spanish coach loves to put a heavy emphasis on midfield play, often compacting the midfield.
Torreira will therefore be able to play with Aaron Ramsey and Xhaka in the middle of the park, and Arsenal fans can sit back, watching the magic unfold.
Next: Manchester United interested in Championship goalkeeper
What do you make of Arsenal’s transfer business so far?