Arsenal transfer news: Torreira, Carrasco, Pellegrini, Cillessen

So long Torreira?

Italian giants AC Milan are trying to “lure” Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira back to Serie A.

The 23-year-old enjoyed an impressive debut season after signing from Sampdoria last summer. But his form has caught the eye of Milan’s new sporting director, Frederic Massara, and he wants to “bring the Uruguayan back to Italy”.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Sun claims that Massara’s ambition is to break Juventus’s stranglehold on Serie A and he’ll pay whatever it takes to achieve that dream.

Although Arsenal boss Unai Emery doesn’t want to lose Torreira, he could be prepared to cash in “if a huge bid was tabled by the Milan top brass”.

Carrasco terms ‘agreed’

Also in The Sun, there’s better news for Gooners with the claims that Arsenal have “agreed terms with Yannick Carrasco”.

The 25-year-old Belgian winger, said to be “desperate” to leave Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, was first linked to the Emirates earlier in the year.

Although a January move failed to go through, Unai Emery hasn’t given up hope and the Sun says that a deal looks likely.

Carrasco said of the interest from Arsenal: “There is now an offer on the table and the negotiations with my agent are progressing well. I am the most important player in the club, but I hope the chairman understands me.”

The Sun adds that Arsenal are still to agree a fee because Dalian Yifang are “refusing to budge on their £25m valuation”, but it’s expected negotiations will be satisfactorily concluded in the coming days.

Roma star on radar

The Daily Star says that AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini “is being eyed” by Arsenal and Tottenham. However, the Gunners’ failure to qualify for the Champions League puts their north London rivals Spurs in the transfer driving seat.

Apparently Italy international Pellegrini is angling for a move away from Roma because of their failure to qualify for Europe’s showpiece tournament.

Inter and AC Milan are monitoring the situation, as are Spurs and Arsenal, and the Star claims the two Premier League clubs have tabled offers to his agent.

The Daily Mirror confirms the story, and says that Roma have set an asking price of £27m for Pellegrini, payable in two equal instalments, which “would suit Unai Emery’s Arsenal, who are operating on a limited budget”.

Cillessen hint

Holland and Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen has refused to pledge his loyalty to the Spanish champions.

The gloveman has been linked to Liverpool and Arsenal in recent months, and when asked about his intentions Cillessen told Mundo Deportivo: “For the moment I don’t know what will happen. I will go on holiday with friends and we’ll see. My agent takes care of it.”

Marc-André ter Stegen has become Barca’s No.1 and it’s believed that Cillessen is open to offers from England, with Unai Emery seeing him as a possible replacement for the retired Petr Cech.