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Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira looked poised to move to Fiorentina on a permanent basis following his successful loan spell in Italy but the deal has now collapsed. It is believed that the Serie A club were hesitant to trigger the €15m clause inserted in the loan deal.
In the aftermath of the failed deal, Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso took a dig at Torreira's agent and hinted at the chances of the deal not going through in a re-attempt. Commisso said, via Fabrizio Romano:
“His agent won’t win against me. I think there’s a chance to re-negotiate the deal in the coming days but can’t say if I’m optimistic or not.”
The Arsenal man was a vital cog in Vincenzo Italiano's side and helped Viola earn their UEFA Europa Conference League spot. He chipped in with five goals and two assists in 31 Italian top-flight appearances this season.
The Serie A club were expected to activate the Uruguayan's buyout clause on the back of his impressive season. Torreira's salary demands of £75,000-a-week were also agreed but the Viola have chosen not to close the deal.
Arsenal midfielder's agent opens up on the failed transfer of his client
While speaking to Fiorentina News, Torreira's agent Pablo Bentancur provided some clarity on why the 26-year-old has had to return to Arsenal. He said:
"When we agreed on the 1.5 million loan with Arsenal last summer, I got from the English club the possibility that Fiorentina would not pay that money if Lucas had played at least 25 games. With this option we have set the right of redemption at 15 million, payable in 6 installments of 2.5 by 2025."
"We had agreed on a (player) contract with Fiorentina for the coming seasons of €2.7 million net a year. Fiorentina, however, now wanted to lower both his salary and the cost of the transfer. We couldn’t accept, and Arsenal didn’t accept either."
The Uruguay international has one more year remaining on his current contract at the Emirates. In the last four months, he has bagged three Fiorentina Player of the Month awards, which only makes Viola's decision to reject his buy option even more shocking.
Mikel Arteta does not consider Torreira a part of his plans for the future, although the Spaniard is also looking to bolster his midfield. Arteta will hope to find other suitors for the 26-year-old after his impressive loan spell.
The defensive midfielder used to wear the number 11 jersey for the Gunners but recently lost it. Gabriel Martinelli will now inherit the number from Torreira next season.
