Arsenal Reportedly Agree Deal for Lucas Torreira Amid Release-Clause Rumours

Arsenal have reportedly agreed a €30 million (£26.4 million) deal with Italian outfit Sampdoria to sign midfielder Lucas Torreira, who is still yet to come to an agreement over personal terms.

Sport Mediaset (h/t Football Italia) reported the Gunners will pay €5 million (£4.4 million) more than Torreira's release clause in order to avoid having to fork out the whole transfer fee in one go.

Simon Jones of the Daily Mail previously wrote that Arsenal were in negotiations to recruit the Uruguay international—who's at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia—but were only able to subsidise the fee in instalments.

Sampdoria sporting director Carlo Osti recently spoke to Rai Sport (h/t Football Italia), confirming Torreira's clause and appearing adamant the club receive that fee: "Torreira has a €25 million (£22 million) release clause, everyone knows that. Anyone who wants him will have to pay that."

Italian football writer David Amoyal recently confirmed as much, meaning the north Londoners risk losing out to a competitor if they can't agree personal terms:

Jones mentioned the recent free signing of Stephan Lichtsteiner and an agreed £16 million deal to sign defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Borussia Dortmund, which will be confirmed in July.

Those seem like modest purchases for the north Londoners, although it's likely that missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification for the second season running has limited their spending scope.

That being said, defensive midfield is one area of their squad that's needed investment for some time now, especially after Granit Xhaka's arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 failed to solve anything.

Sports writers Simon Collings and James Dall have been among those to express their confusion as to why Arsenal have been so slow to reinforce a key part of their lineup:

Napoli and Dortmund are mentioned by Football Italia as clubs tracking Torreira, each of whom can offer Champions League football.

One of the bigger concerns for Arsenal boss Unai Emery is that Torreira is quite short at only 5'6", although that didn't inhibit his ability to win back possession for his side last term, per OptaPaolo:

Torreira has a chance of starting in Uruguay's midfield at the World Cup after only earning his senior international debut in March.

Arsenal's pursuit of the South American has moved swiftly in recent days, and after adding to their defence already this summer, it looks as though Torreira could arrive to inject some youthful energy into their core.