There has been a lot made of comments from Lucas Torreira following an interview he did while down in South America ahead of the Copa America with Uruguay and the most common interpretation is that he has hinted that he wants to return to Italy because he does not like the English weather.
Well, that is actually a gross misrepresentation of what he said and please take note of the final words of what he actually did say about living and playing in England.
“I do not know if there are many things that I enjoy. I think I had a better time in Italy. England is a totally different world, a very big country. It has cost me a lot of language, to be able to relate to my colleagues and the people. It becomes very difficult when you can not have dialogues. And there is the weather. You go out in the morning and it is cloudy, you arrive at your house in the afternoon and it is cloudy. The sun is a little strange, but we are from here and we are used to always or almost always having the sun. But as the years go by, I’m going to adapt. ”
As the years go by I’m going to adapt, do they sound like the words of a player that wants to return to Italy, no, because they are not but the media have chosen to simply ignore that part.
As for the weather, he is 100% right, English weather is awful, we all know that and now that he lives in England he is entitled to complain about it.
So he is struggling with the language, that is not uncommon either, it can take years to learn a new language but of course, if the media can attack him for it then they will.
The bottom line is that Torreira has no intention of leaving Arsenal, he actually made that absolutely clear with his comments and in fact, he even gave a damn good explanation for his drop off in form, he was bloody knackered, he played 50 or so games this season when he has been used to playing a lot less and he will improve next season.
“I played almost 50 games, practically twice as much as I played last year” he said
“As you gain experience and have different partners by your side, you will learn a lot. I have learned a lot, especially how to handle the matches and their different situations.”
Anyway, at least we now know the truth and not what the media have tried to spin today.