Fiorentina fans have sent a clear message both to their board and current Arsenal loanee Lucas Torreira ahead of his upcoming summer departure.

As it stands, Torreira will be returning to north London at the end of his loan spell with La Viola, where he has become a fan favourite and won three of the five Player of the Month awards this calendar year.

The Uruguayan's loan deal had an option to buy the player set at 15m euros, which it was expected the Italian club would take up. However, that has since changed, as Fiorentina tried to secure a discount both on salary and fee, neither of which washed with the other party.

Now, Fiorentina's fans have unfurled a banner near the Florence side's stadium demanding that he stay, and that Joe Barone, the club's CEO, leave instead.

'Torreira Alla Fiorentina, Barone All Arsenal', the banner read.

While La Viola's faithful have made their feelings on the matter clear, whether they are acted upon is another matter entirely.

What next for Torreira?

It seems unlikely that Lucas Torreira will still be an Arsenal player come the end of the summer. The midfielder was not thought to be in Mikel Arteta's plans 12 months ago, when sent on loan to Florence, and it is hard to see how that would have changed in the year since.

Meanwhile, Torreira himself has never settled in England, and would be keen on a move back to Italy or even South America. Whether such an opportunity arises remains to be seen.

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