Lucas Torreira admits he is still “getting to grips” with a new club, a new manager and a “different type of league” at Arsenal.
Torreira joined Arsenal this summer from Sampdoria, the Uruguay midfielder costing around £26million.
He is yet to start this season after his World Cup excursions, but has appeared in all three of Arsenal’s Premier League games thus far as a second-half substitute.
The 22-year-old arguably helped turn the tide for the Gunners against West Ham on Saturday, as the north London side came from behind to win 3-1.
Torreira is now targeting regular starts as he is “getting to grips” with manager Unai Emery’s demands.
“I’m one of the newer players and I’ve just joined up with the squad,” he told the club’s official website. “There are a lot of young players and we’re working very hard, with a lot of intensity.
“We’re getting to grips with what the coach wants from us and I think we’ve played some good football in the past few games. We got our first win which was massive for us, but there’s a long road ahead and a lot of games to play, so the best thing for us now is to rest up, focus on our next game and concentrate on our preparation, which is vital.
“I’m really happy. It’s all very new for me because I’ve come from a different type of league. The climate is different here and the way of life too, but I’m settling in nicely and training hard – the sessions are different too. The confidence will grow with every game, so that’s great.”
On his chances of establishing himself as a regular starter soon, he added: “Let’s hope so. You train hard, you give your all and you want to improve. I want to start but any time I get on is very important for me.
“For me the best thing is to be able to help my team, as I did coming on in the second half, and we were able to get the win for our fans, who really deserve it.”