Torino FC may be passing on bargain €10m Ola Aina buy-option — report

This report comes from CalcioMercato, who aren’t exactly the greatest source, but what they are saying does fit the circumstantial evidence available.

CM claim that after Sunday’s defeat 4-1 to in-form Empoli (who thus move out of the relegation zone) eliminated Torino from finishing in the top six — they could still finish level on points with AS Roma, but Serie A uses head-to-head record as the first tie-breaker and Torino lost twice to Roma — Il Toro are reconsidering their transfer plans and that could mean passing on Ola Aina’s €10m buy-option.

Aina started on Sunday, just as he has most of their games, playing on the left flank of manager Walter Mazzari’s usual 3-4-3/3-5-2 wing-back setup. Aina has split time almost evenly between the right and flank wing-back positions all season, a versatility that we saw both in the Chelsea youth teams and in his occasional appearances under Antonio Conte as well.

The 22-year-old Chelsea loanee has played a big part throughout the year and it was basically assumed that Torino would pick up what was looking like an ever greater bargain option. But apparently that obvious outcome is “no longer as certain as it seemed”.

Should that come to pass, earlier reports that seemed more dubious suddenly get less dubious as well, including interest from Fiorentina (who are in self-destruct mode and just barely will end up avoiding relegation after just 2 wins in their last 20 league games) and of course the reports about Aina potentially getting a shot at a Chelsea spot once again.

Could Aina be part of the transfer ban solution? Could we get a chance to partially undo the whole Zappacosta silliness? This could get interesting.