Arsenal: One word of caution on Lucas Torreira

I am a big fan of Arsenal’s decision to sign Lucas Torreira this summer. But there is one word of caution that is worth saying: Granit Xhaka.

Arsenal made perhaps the most exciting signing of the summer in addressing their biggest need for more than a decade: they finally signed a defensive midfielder, a position that many fans have been baying for desperately for many years.

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Lucas Torreira, a 22-year-old ankle-snapping anchoring midfielder who has the attitude and aptitude to play the position with great consistency and commitment. He has roundly been considered an excellent signing. He fills a need, he’s young with his prime ahead of him, and he cost only £27 million, which is extremely impressive in the explosive modern market.

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Much of what I have written on the subject is positive. I went back and charted some of his performances for Sampdoria and watched him extensively at the World Cup and came away taken aback by his combativeness, his industrial spirit, his deceptive speed and athleticism, and his efficient and careful use of the ball when in possession. I, like almost all others, have been very positive about his signing.

But, and I hate to be Debbie Downer here, there is a word of caution that needs to be acknowledged. You see, the very same type of statements that are currently being made about Torreira were being made about Granit Xhaka just two years ago. Strong, striding, commanding, leading, blossoming midfielder with his best years before him. Xhaka came to north London with the same, if not greater, expectations as what Torreira is coming to north London with.

It’s safe to say that Xhaka has not fulfilled those expectations. That’s not to say that he’s been a poor signing. I would suggest that, even after two seasons, the jury is still very much out on that one. But he certainly hasn’t vindicated the price paid, the reputation garnered or the expectations laid out.

Just because Torreira is being showered in praise, adorned for his mental, technical, tactical and athletic attributes, celebrated for his filling a direct need of this team does not mean that he will be a successful player for Arsenal. He only made his first appearance in a training session on Tuesday morning for goodness sake.

Because he is a new shiny toy that many fans, myself included, have been calling for for many years, there is an eager anticipation to see him play in the heart of the midfield and an expectation that he will play when he starts. But as we have seen with plenty of players before him, no less than Xhaka, there are no guarantees in football.

This does not change my opinion on Torreira. I still believe he will be a very astute addition to this team. It is simply a cautionary tale as the hype train begins to hit overdrive just a week before the start of the new season.