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Layth Yousif

Mateo Kovacic to Chelsea hands Arsenal transfer boost over Lucas Torreira's fate

Chelsea have made Mateo Kovacic's loan move permanent.

A loophole in their transfer ban means that the Real Madrid player is one of the few transfer moves that the Blues are allowed to make this summer.

It is a signing that could be of interest to Arsenal and fans who fear that Lucas Torreira could move back to Italy this summer.

The Fray Bentos-born defensive midfielder is being courted by former boss Marco Giampaolo, now been installed as Milan manager at the San Siro.

After an excellent first campaign with the Gunners, the 23-year-old has been subject to rumours throughout the summer.

But what does Kovacic's switch to Chelsea have to do with an Arsenal midfielder? Last season, the Blues sent Tiemoue Bakayoko to Milan on loan.

He will only find his hopes for first team opportunities dented by the news that the Croatian is to stay to play under Lampard alongside an already busy roster of midfielders.

There could be no way back for the Frenchman, and that could leave Milan and Bakayoko teed up to find a solution that solves both of their problems.

Arsenal supporters will knock back the idea that the ex-Monaco midfielder can be compared to Torreira.

The defensive midfielder excelled in helping Unai Emery's side control games at the base of midfield last season to win back the ball and create angles for his attacking colleagues.

Fans had long called upon Arsene Wenger to bring in a new enforcer to power up his team and the Uruguayan fit the bill immediately.

A versatile midfielder, best known for his ability to win back the ball and claim possession for his team, Torreira also showed calmness on the ball and a strong reading of the game, cleaning up in front of the defence.

When in possession, he can be a more metronomic presence, keeping the ball moving with his high volume of short, sharp passes to build moves from deep.

Higher up the pitch, has also shown an ability to lose his markers and drive the team on.

No wonder then that Milan are so interested, but the Serie A club are unlikely to be able to tempt Arsenal to even consider selling given the low bids and loan proposals that they are set to offer to the Gunners.

Bakayoko, on the other hand, could be a good alternative at a knockdown price, and while Premier League viewers may struggle to see his potential, he did impress in Italy last season.

Signed in the summer of 2017, the Frenchman struggled under Antonio Conte. The year before he had helped Monaco to win the Ligue 1 title and reach the last four of the Champions League.

(Getty Images)

He is not a like-for-like substitute for Torreira but neither is he quite such a basic, scrappy player as some have come to assume based on his failings in England.

At Monaco, he too would push forward and create angles and space for teammates off-the-ball, all the while seeking to dominate opponents and win possession.

He had Fabinho watching his back while the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bernado Silva and Thomas Lemar fed off his work from deep.

For Milan, his game has matured. Whereas at Chelsea, he was often found out of position, the Frenchman has gained a greater understanding of his role, without the safety net once provided by Fabinho.

Away from the intense scrutiny of Stamford Bridge, Bakayoko showed he was more than capable of keeping and using possession for Milan.

He fits the bill as a decoy target to send Torreira's suitors off the scent more than supporters in England may remember, even if he cannot be placed on the same quality tier as the Uruguayan.

While Kovacic brought no joy to Gunners fans that miserable evening in Baku, the fact he could soon be a permanent Chelsea player could spell good news for Arsenal's attempts to keep Torreria at the Emirates. 

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