Arsenal linked winger set to sign new contract with £25 million release clause: Reports

Arsenal target Facundo Torres is set to sign a new contract at Orlando City, which will include a £25 million release clause, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

According to Football London, Torres was linked with a move to the Emirates last October. Speaking to 90min in January, the 22-year-old confirmed that these rumors were true.

He said:

"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. So the conversation stayed there but now that I am back with the team, we will see where the conversation goes."

He traveled with Uruguay to the 2022 FIFA World Cup but was an unused substitute for all three of their group-stage games. Arsenal, meanwhile, signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton & Hove Albion in January for a fee of around £27 million.

Gabriel Jesus' inactivity since the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to an injury would have forced the Gunners to sign a forward in the winter. They are on course to win their first league title since the 2003-04 campaign, with a two-point lead over Manchester City, who have played one more game.

It remains to be seen if Arsenal will retain their interest in Torres after his seemingly imminent contract renewal. He could provide Bukayo Saka with valuable competition for a starting berth down the right-hand side.

Torres scored the only goal of the game in his team's opening Major League Soccer (MLS) clash against New York Red Bulls on 26 February. He ended last season with 13 goals and 10 assists in 40 games across competitions.

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Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe showing promise at Nice

Facundo Torres could well have been a signing that potentially replaced Nicolas Pepe in manager Mikel Arteta's first-team plans.

Leandro Trossard has done well to add competition to the left flank but Arsenal lacks similar competition down the right-hand side. Fans would have hoped Nicolas Pepe was vying for regular starts with Bukayo Saka, but that is not the case.

The Ivory Coast international was allowed to join OGC Nice on a season-long loan deal last summer after starting just five league games in the 2021-22 campaign. The Emirates outfit spent £72 million in transfer fees for Pepe in the summer of 2019.

He has offered the Gunners a glimmer of hope this season by being one of Ligue 1's best players. According to WhoScored's metrics, Pepe is the third-best player in the French top division this campaign with an average rating of 7.62.

Pepe has registered eight goals and an assist in 23 games across competitions for Les Aiglons.