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The Role Luis Suarez Played In Lucas Torreira's Move To Arsenal

The Role Luis Suarez Played In Lucas Torreira's Move To Arsenal

The Gunners secured the services of the highly-rated 22-year old.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Luis Suarez played a part in Arsenal's recruitment of Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria, according to the player's agent.

The 22-year old was heavily linked with the Gunners throughout the summer and the deal was officially completed on July 10, not long after after his impressive World Cup campaign for Uruguay came to an end at the hands of eventual winners France in the quarter finals.

After making the move to the Emirates for a reported £26 million, Torreira has taken on the No.11 shirt Mesut Ozil vacated to take on his favoured No.10 jersey.

And it's emerged that the former Pescara man received some words of wisdom from Barcelona striker, and his international teammate, Luis Suarez.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Torreira's agent, Pablo Bentancur, says the former Liverpool talisman spoke positively about Arsenal and his words helped him make the decision to move to the red half of North London.

Suarez terrorised Arsenal on several occasions during his time at Liverpool and the Gunners made an attempt to sign him in the summer of 2013 when they bid £40,000,001 for his services - prompting that famous "What are they smoking over there at the Emirates?" tweet from Liverpool owner John W. Henry.

The move never materialised and Suarez completed a U-turn at Anfield, notching 31 goals in 37 games as they finished second in the league to Manchester City.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Suarez has played an important role in what could be a very tidy bit of business for Arsenal. Torreira impressed Suarez from the moment they played against one another in the Joan Gamper Trophy in 2016.

"I was surprised by the young lad who had been in the middle of the park for the whole match," Suarez told Telemundo last season.

"After that evening, I learned he was Uruguayan, and from that moment, I started to follow him a bit in Serie A.

"He surprised me, he's improved a lot and been playing at a very high level. He came on the scene at a very young age, when it's not at all easy to assert yourself, but he succeeded in performing at a high level."

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Topics: Liverpool, Football News, Football, Luis Suarez, Lucas Torreira, Arsenal, Uruguay