Lucas Torreira has completed a loan move from Arsenal to Fiorentina, the Italian club confirmed on Wednesday.
The Uruguay international struggled to make an impact at Emirates Stadium after a bright start, and spent last season in La Liga with Atletico Madrid.
Now he is gearing up for a return to Serie A, where he shone during a spell with Sampdoria prior to joining the Gunners.
What was said?
"Fiorentina announces it has acquired, on a temporary basis with the right to buy, the sporting rights of the player Lucas Torreira from Arsenal Football Club," the Italian club explained in a statement published on their official website.
"The new Viola footballer, born in Fray Bentos (Uruguay) on 11 February 1996, last season wore the Atletico Madrid shirt, with which he won the 2020-21 La Liga.
"Torreira also wore the Uruguayan national team shirt on 31 occasions, participating with the 'Celeste' in the last Copa America."
Fiorentina have the chance to sign the midfielder at the end of the season for an agreed fee, believed to be €15 million.
The bigger picture
Torreira moved to Arsenal in 2018 following a string of fine performances for Sampdoria and representing Uruguay at that year's World Cup.
He quickly established himself in the Gunners' first team, playing 34 Premier League matches in his debut season and netting twice from midfield.
The subsequent term however saw him lose ground, and by the start of 2020-21 he was deemed expendable by the club, leading to a loan switch to Atletico.
Albert Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard's arrivals further pushed Torreira down the pecking order and he did not feature in either of Arsenal's opening two Premier League games this season, which both ended in defeat.
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