BBC Journalist Claims Arsenal Are Less Than a Week From Completing Summer's First Team Recruitment

Arsenal are closing in on a potential deal for the young Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira, according to BBC Sport's David Ornstein, who has become something of a cult figure for Gunners fans. 

New Arsenal manager Unai Emery is wasting no time in this summer’s transfer window and wants to assemble his new team as quickly as possible, and the young Uruguayan midfielder has been on the Spaniard’s shopping list even before he moved to the Emirates. 

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The 22-year-old is well respected in Italy and in Serie A where he has had a solid couple of seasons at ‘I Blucerchiati’, consistent performances for the Italian-based outfit earned him a call-up to Uruguayan national team for the World Cup in what was his first major tournament as a player.

Torreira started 36 games for Sampdoria last season, scoring just four goals and one assist but racked up many eyecatching performances which has caught the new Arsenal manager's attention.

The youngster has just returned home from Russia after his side were knocked out of the World Cup quarter-finals by France in heartbreaking fashion.

The Gunners are looking to secure the services of the young Uruguayan maestro along with fellow summer recruits Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis who made the move to north London a couple of weeks ago.

Lucas Torreira would become Arsenal’s third big signing of the summer if Emery can pull this move off.