This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

Lucas Torreira is not really enjoying his football at the moment.

Of course, it's difficult to show the very best version of yourself when your team is struggling to compete on a broader level, with Unai Emery's failure to galvanise his Arsenal side becoming a major problem this season.

The Gunners' return after the international break unsurprisingly did not yield much improvement as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Southampton, further increasing their winless run to six games in total.

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Needless to say, Emery currently seems like a man without a clear plan and his frailties have actually manifested in his treatment of Torreira.

Recently, the Uruguayan's agent came out with a statement claiming that his player is no longer at ease and feels unsettled by changes to his role in the side.

“I must say the change of role has hurt him. He is no longer at ease and we hope that things can change."

Torreira's performances have suffered as a consequence of Emery's mishandling of the situation and links with a potential return to Italy have gained some prominence of late.

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Last week Calciomercato suggested Carlo Ancellotti's Napoli might be interested in the 23-year-old as a potential replacement for the transfer-listed Alan.

Interestingly enough, the Brazilian is not a natural defensive midfielder but he seems to be Ancellotti's only viable solution for that position.

Needless to say, bringing in someone like Torreira could add something the club currently don't possess, while the Uruguayan would practically be guaranteed his preferred role given the lack of alternatives currently at the club.

For that reason, a switch back to Italy just might represent an ideal scenario for the young talent's development.

Obviously, the Gunners would be losing a big talent from their squad but that's the price they just might have to pay for Emery's misuse of the 23-year-old.

In other news, it seems that Barcelona might be targeting one of Arsenal's best players of the current campaign.