Arsenal manager Unai Emery has hit back at unsettled midfielder Lucas Torreira. The Uruguay midfielder is not happy with life at the Emirates Stadium and admitted earlier this week that he could seek a move away in January.
The midfielder is unhappy with the position that Unai Emery deploys him in. He has been used as an attacking midfielder while he favors a defensive role. In response to this, Unai Emery has asked the player to improve if he wants to feature regularly in the defensive midfield position.
“He has a very big future here, but he needs to improve. He has to learn in some situations to help us and do better. It’s one process.He was playing well last year; this year he’s not being consistent but my challenge to him is to improve, to do better with some tactical issues on the pitch, but above all being consistent and taking that into the next matches,” Emery said.
Emery revealed a meeting with Torreira this week in which he showed him videos of his best moments, but says he has to link play better to be considered for a defensive midfield role.
“We need that position for the capacity to build up; it’s a big responsibility,” continued Emery.
“He can play as a defensive midfielder, but we need a defensive midfielder to be offensive because the buildup for us is very important. At the moment, to give him that responsibility as a defensive midfielder who builds up and creates a lot of combinations with our team, he needs more time. He’s helping us, he’s sometimes playing well, he’s being consistent, but needs to learn and improve in that issue,” the Spaniard concluded.
Torreira will get his chance to impress the coach when Arsenal host Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.