Mikel Arteta insisted that now is not the right time to make rash decisions after an Arsenal midfielder launched an emotional plea to leave the Gunners last week.
Arsenal are struggling to keep their season alive as hopes of finishing in the top four quickly fade. His 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Liverpool last week tied harsh criticism from a former gunner. However, the common consensus is that Arteta is the right man to turn the ship around.
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Doing so could require major surgery in the next transfer windows.
Arsenal has been operating on a limited budget for several years. As such, departures may be required first to give Arteta enough leeway to make sweeping changes.
One player who might be ready to go is Lucas Torreira.
The Uruguayan is currently on loan to Atlético de Madrid, although he has had problems obtaining a starting position.
Torreira was recently struck by tragedy after his mother passed away after contracting Covid-19.
That put things in perspective for the 25-year-old who later declared his desire not to play in Europe anymore. Instead, he wants to return to South America and join Boca Juniors of Argentina.
Now, Arteta has responded to the midfielder, but despite Torreira’s insistence, he has asked for patience.
“There are many thoughts and things that go through his head but … ‘calm’ when things are like this is not the time to make decisions,” said the Spaniard (via the Mirror).
“I understand how you feel emotionally, your need and responsibility to be closer to your family, but this is not the time to make any decisions.
“It is certainly a decision that different parties will have to make and now nothing is going to change.”
Arteta explains the problems of the Torreira Arsenal
Torreira arrived in 2018 with high hopes that he could add steel and bite into the Gunners’ scaly midfield.
The initial promise soon evaporated when it became clear that his impressive Serie A displays were proving difficult to replicate in England.
Explaining the reasons behind their struggles, Arteta added: “Players often go through different stages in their careers and emotional moments and these things happen.
“We have to deal with that and when you recruit a player from a foreign country, sometimes he has that struggle to adapt to a new culture, a new language, a new way of doing things. The risk is there «.
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