No tags yet.
By • Gregory Caltabanis.
(Lucas Torreira- Sampdoria. Photo via Ultimoouomo)
In just his third season in Italian football Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira has stolen all the headlines, dominating proceedings in the middle of the park. Marco Giampaolo’s men have got off to a flying start to the year having beaten Milan, Fiorentina and Atalanta among others and currently sit up in sixth place in the table. With Torreira at the base of midfield, I blucerchiati’s dream of European football next season could just become a reality.
After growing up in the youth ranks of the Montevideo Wanderers, Torreira was snapped up by Pescara at the tender age of 18. His fiery attitude and drive was eventually rewarded as he debuted for their senior side on May 16, 2015 against Varese. As the season went on, the Uruguayan established himself as a key member of the side and even played in their promotion playoffs.
Just a few weeks after helping Pescara clinch promotion, Torreira was signed by Sampdoria for 1.5M euros, utter robbery judging by today’s standards. However, the Genoa-based outfit deemed him unprepared for the rigours of top flight football and loaned him back to Pescara immediately for the upcoming season. After a positive year in Serie A, despite his side’s relegation, the 21-year-old returned to Sampdoria a different player.
Upon his return, Torreira demonstrated immense progress and eventually became one of the first players on Giampaolo’s team sheet. In fact, the Uruguayan played in 35 of Sampdoria’s 38 league clashes that season, highlighting his newfound importance in the side. It was only in this season, however, that Torreira’s talents got the plaudits they deserved after a number of top clubs inquired for his services in January. Goal.com even reported that Atletico Madrid made a 40M euro offer for the player, which if true, would result in a club-record sale. Despite this, Sampdoria made their intentions clear.
Speaking to Telenord, the club’s official lawyer Antonio Romei said: “There are some complicated contractual issues. Torreira is a treasure for Samp and he’ll be with us for the rest of the season.” This year, Torreira has taken his game to the next level and has proved to be one of the finest defensive midfield prospects in the world. Averaging 2.9 tackles per game, the fifth highest in Serie A, and 2.1 interceptions per game, it’s clear to see that the Uruguayan is making his presence felt on the pitch. Standing at 5’6, the diminutive midfielder doesn’t let his size or lack thereof, hinder him and is an absolute pest in the middle of the park. Moreover, his 64.5 passes per ninety is good enough for sixth highest in the league only behind the world class likes of Jorginho, Marek Hamsik and Miralem Pjanic. As a result, it’s clear to see why Europe’s giants are keeping tabs on him.
Blessed with an incredible engine and the positional awareness of a veteran, Torreira could slot in at the base of just about any midfield. Factor in his fervent attitude and you’ve got yourself one of the league’s most in-form players right now. While deemed a destroyer by many due to his elite defensive capabilities and positioning right ahead of the defence, Torreira is also able to dictate the tempo. That being said, it remains an aspect of his game that still needs fine tuning.
Under Giampaolo’s tutelage, the player’s passing has improved significantly and he has added some much needed verticality to his game. When he first came to Italy, Torreira would often play the safe option, much to the frustration of his managers. Today, the Uruguayan plays a more direct brand of football and is beginning to add end product to his game week-by-week. Ironically, it took his thunderous brace against Chievo for some to take note of his astonishing rise.
Internationally, Torreira is yet to make his debut for his country as Óscar Tabárez is set in his ways. Despite still very much relying on the old guard, Tabárez has recently introduced the likes of Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur and Giorgian De Arrascaeta into Uruguay’s ranks, underscoring the need for change. Given Torreira’s recent performances, Tabarez would be wise to call him up and incorporate him in the squad ahead of the World Cup.
If Torreira continues in similar fashion, it won’t be long before he dons Uruguay’s historic sky blue kit. Given his ascent to stardom, let’s face it, his days with Sampdoria, and likely Serie A, are numbered. "I think that in the summer, Torreira will receive big offers. I have no doubt about it,” said Pablo Bentancur, the player’s agent in a recent interview. Until then, calcio fans should take note of Sampdoria’s Charrúa controller and enjoy him while he’s still in Italy.
(Lucas Torreira- Sampdoria & Marek Hamsik- Napoli)