16 January 2023 , 22:47
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As Arsenal continue their search for a Mykhaylo Mudryk alternative, they have received some positive news on potential January target Facundo Torres.
Ukraine international Mudryk had looked set for an Arsenal move, only for Chelsea to swoop in and hijack the deal at the eleventh hour. Graham Potter's side confirmed the £87m swoop on Sunday, with Mudryk signing an eight-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
The move represented the second time during the January window that an Arsenal target moved to west London, following Joao Felix's loan switch. However, the path appears clearer when it comes to Uruguay international Torres, who currently plies his trade for Orlando City in MLS.
“Orlando City confirmed to me that there was contact with Arsenal, but then I left for the World Cup and I didn’t want to hear about a potential transfer at that point," Torres told 90min. "So the conversation stayed there but now that I am back with the team, we will see where the conversation goes."
"I would love to play in Europe. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a kid," the 22-year-old added.
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"At the moment I am focused on Orlando City. But La Liga or Premier League would be my targets, and that’s where the rumours are coming from. But yeah, I'd absolutely love that!”
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Facundo Torres impressed during his first Orlando City season (Phelan M Ebenhack/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Torres scored nine times in Major League Soccer last season as Orlando City reached the end-of-season playoffs. The winger was called up to Diego Alonso's Uruguay squad for the World Cup, but didn't make it onto the pitch as the South Americans suffered an early elimination.
He began his career in his homeland with Penarol before making a club-record switch to Orlando in January 2022. In addition to his nine league goals, he scored four times during his team's run to US Open Cup glory and also netted in a July friendly against Arsenal
Mudryk, meanwhile, was confirmed as a Chelsea player during the Blues' victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday after joining Joao Felix, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Benoit Badiashile at Stamford Bridge as their fifth January arrival. The former Shakhtar man will wear the number 15 shirt for the Blues, with the number having been vacant since Kurt Zouma's 2021 move to West Ham, and could make his debut against Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.
"He’s a young player with a big future," Chelsea boss Potter said of the new signing. "He has exciting quality in the final third, very fast and direct, attacks the backline, can go in wide areas but also affects the goal. He’s a really exciting player and I think our supporters will like him."