•Lucas Torreira enjoyed an impressive first season in the Premier League.
•AC Milan's new boss Marco Giamaolo worked with Uruguayan at Sampdoria.
Image: REUTERS
Lucas Torreira has poured cold water on a possible move to AC Milan this summer, insisting he is happy at Arsenal.
The Uruguayan joined last July from Sampdoria, where he played under Marco Giampaolo, who has been appointed AC Milan boss.
“Nobody from AC Milan has got in touch with me,” he said.
“Today I’m in the Premier (League) and happy to be part of Arsenal. Adapting was not easy, but I only think about the team. I’m happy to be there.’
Last season, Torreira made 50 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring twice and providing four assists.
He has established himself as a key member of Unai Emery’s midfield and allows the more attacking players to flourish. Torreira joined the Gunners for £26m in 2018 and it would take a significant offer to prise him away after just one year.
He is currently away with the Uruguayan national side and preparing to play Peru in the Copa America quarter-final.
Meanwhile, Callum Hudson-Odoi hopes to hand Frank Lampard a boost by returning from his achilles injury by the start of September.
Chelsea starlet Hudson-Odoi is on course for a quicker than expected return following the setback he suffered when he ruptured his achilles against Burnley in April.
Early fears were that the exciting England winger, 18, would be out of action for at least six months.
But Hudson-Odoi has made encouraging progress and is in line to return ahead of the initial, anticipated date in welcome news for Stamford Bridge legend Lampard who is on the verge of being appointed Chelsea manager, especially with the club’s transfer ban preventing him adding new faces to the squad he inherits.
Hudson-Odoi posted a clip on social media of him doing some indoor ball work with both feet on Sunday with the message: ‘Recovery is going well, I hope to be soon be back on the pitch, let’s go!!’
He is now waiting for the green light to step up his recovery. Hudson-Odoi is due to head back to Barcelona, where he had his operation, in the next fortnight for another check-up with the renowned surgeon Ramon Cugat who carried out the procedure to repair his achilles. Providing Cugat is happy, Hudson-Odoi will be cleared to accelerate his rehabilitation on his return to Chelsea.
Chelsea have four league games in August followed by a two-week international break before they face Wolves in mid-September, by which point Hudson-Odoi could be available again.