Arsenal to Reject All Offers for Lucas Torreira Despite Growing Interest From Milan
Lucas Torreira is expected to remain at Arsenal next season after his employers informed interested parties that the midfielder is not for sale, amid speculation of interest from Milan who are willing to offer Franck Kessie in a swap deal.
The Uruguayan was a standout performer for Unai Emery in his first campaign with the club, quickly establishing himself in the coach's starting XI following a £26m switch from Sampdoria last summer.
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Incoming Milan manager Marco Giampaolo - who worked with the 23-year-old in northern Italy - is allegedly keen to reunite with his former player and make Torreira his first signing at the San Siro, but The Sun report that Arsenal will not entertain offers for the player's services.
However, according to Metro, Milan are not put off by Arsenal's reluctance to sell, and are willing to offer the Gunners a cash or swap deal involving Kessie, who is similarly valued and has been of interest to Arsenal in the past.
Milan's efforts to get their hands on Torreira have also been boosted by rumours that his Italian girlfriend Vittoria Repetto is displeased with life in London and would like to return to her homeland.
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The diminutive destroyer was a key driving force behind the Gunners' run to the Europa League final, though he was powerless to stop Chelsea lifting the trophy as his teammates crumbled in Baku.
The 4-1 drubbing means Emery's recruits will spend a third successive year outside of the Champions League, a disappointment that could see Torreira pushing for an exit from north London.
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Emery and the board could potentially sanction such a transfer if they received a ludicrously-high fee, which would in turn allow them to expand on the current £40m budget the Spaniard has been given for recruitment.
According to the reports a deal is not beyond the realms of possibility, with Milan set to offer up to £40m for Torreira or a player of similar value. However, that is far below the fee required to interest Arsenal given the Uruguayan's importance to Emery's game-plan and it is doubtful whether the Italians would go higher having wasted hefty sums of money on expensive flops in recent windows.
