LONDON: Arsenal have acquired a “very bright talent” in their latest signing Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira, said the Premier League side’s manager Unai Emery on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old — who is Emery’s fourth signing since he was appointed Arsene Wenger’s successor in late May — cost a reported £27million ($35.8million, 30.5million euros) to prise him away from Serie A outfit Sampdoria.
Torreira — the length of whose contract Arsenal did not reveal — performed well at the World Cup, playing in all their games and impressed national coach Oscar Tabarez enough to gain a place in the starting line-up in the 2-0 quarter-final defeat by France last Friday.
“In Lucas Torreira, we have signed a young player who is a very bright talent in the game,” Emery told Arsenal’s official website.“A midfielder with great quality, I have enjoyed watching his performances for Sampdoria in the past two seasons, and we all saw him do very well for Uruguay in the World Cup.”