Lucas Torreira's Agent Says 'It's a Pity' He Didn't Join Napoli over Arsenal

Lucas Torreira could have joined Napoli instead of Arsenal earlier this summer if Carlo Ancelotti had taken over as manager of the Serie A club sooner, according to the midfielder's agent, Pablo Bentancur. 

The Partenopei were in talks with Sampdoria over signing Torreira, but the uncertainty over the manager's position at the Stadio San Paolo allowed Arsenal to sign him, to Bentancur's disappointment, per Radio CRC (h/t Mattias Karen of ESPN.co.uk):

"It's a pity. I'm sorry Ancelotti wasn't there at the start of the negotiation. He'd have been a great help for Torreira, he has tremendous international experience.

"But then Lucas called me, and he confirmed to me that negotiations with Arsenal were too advanced for any second thoughts. If the Arsenal deal had collapsed then Napoli would have been perfect."

The Gunners paid £26.5 million to sign the Uruguay international from Sampdoria back in July.

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Torreira has appeared from the bench in all three of Arsenal's Premier League matches so far in 2018-19, amounting to 99 minutes of action.

It is likely the 22-year-old is being eased back to full fitness by head coach Unai Emery after he appeared in all five of Uruguay's matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Napoli announced Ancelotti as Maurizio Sarri's replacement in May, but Sarri remained on the club's payroll until he was finally confirmed as Antonio Conte's successor at Chelsea on July 14.

By then, Torreira had already moved to the Emirates Stadium and Napoli had missed their chance to snap up the talented midfielder.