Arsenal are locked in talks with Fiorentina over the potential departure of Lucas Torreira, according to the Evening Standard. The Viola are only prepared to take the midfielder on an initial loan deal with an option to buy next summer.

It is thought the sum total of the loan fee and purchase clause would be £20m, which would be £6m less than the £26m they paid Sampdoria for the Uruguayan international two years ago.

However, the Gunners are very keen to balance the books after shelling out on Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille, and they are looking to sell a number of players to free up funds for other potential purchases.

Napoli are reportedly trying to get Sokratis Papastathopoulos on a free transfer but after paying £18m for the Greek international in 2018, the London club are trying to get some sort of transfer fee.

The defender’s departure looks inevitable, though, with Arsenal currently having seven centre-backs in the first-team squad.