HIDDEN beneath the sock of Lucas Torreira’s right leg is a tattoo that tells the story of his rocky road to the Emirates.
Arsenal’s industrious midfielder, the man they paid Sampdoria 26.4million for, has proved to be the component missing from their artillery.
Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira sports a tattoo that reminds him of his roots
Not since Gilberto Silva has the North London club had someone so capable of screening a defence like Torreira.
Yet Torreira is also a man of gratitude, and the ink on his calf proves just that.
It is Torreira’s boyhood club Institucion Atletica 18 de Julio, from Fray Bentos in Uruguay – the city made famous for making corned beef.
Having taken his first steps in football in the city, Torreira headed for the capital Montevideo as he looked to make it as a professional footballer.
But Torreira’s arranged accommodation suddenly fell through, leaving the 14-year-old homeless.
Luckily for him his former club stepped in to help him out.
The club saved Torreira and he now has the crest tattooed on his calf
“We had a collection between the directors to manage the expenses and the paperwork needed to bring Lucas back,”Hugo Ruiz, 18 de Julio sporting co-coordinator, told theDaily Telegraph.
“I remember seeing on his face a mixture of gratitude and emotion that I still see now.
“He lived his whole childhood here. His love for the club is unconditional.”
Torreira’s talent inevitably saw him rapidly rise to the top.
Three years later he returned to Montevideo Wanderers which was where he got spotted by Pescara and made the move to Italy.
The move was worth it in the end as he got spotted by Italian club Pescara
This time, the accommodation didn’t fall through and Torreira didn’t let down.
“In Italy, everything went very quickly,” Torreira told Arsenal’s official website.“Reaching the top was my main target.”
And he earned his move to the Prem by standing out for Uruguay in Russia this summer, seeing Arsenal willing topay 4m more than his release clause.
“I gave my life for my country and now I am getting this opportunity with Arsenal,” Torreira said last year.
“This chance is unique, every child and every footballer dreams of making it to this kind of club.
“Today that chance is mine and I will make the most of it.”
Torreira caught the attention of Arsenal for his performances at the World Cup in 2018
Unai Emery has suggested there is a lot more to come
