It appears that Arsenal are not going to hold onto Nuno Tavares beyond the current season, if RMC Sport journalist Florent Germain is to be believed.
Relayed by Football Club de Marseille, the reporter gave his two cents on the player’s current situation at Marseille, where he has gone from hero to near zero after some poor recent performances.
That has led to the idea that a return to Arsenal (which was always on the cards at first due to no option to buy in the loan) will be permanent, at which point the Gunners will look to sell him.
His value is probably around the same following a mixed spell at Marseille, which he can still turn around in the next few months, but it appears Mikel Arteta won’t want him hanging around the Emirates for too long.
Germain said: “Arsenal would like to sell him. The Gunners bosses don’t want to loan him for a second year in a row. He has two years left on his contract. He’s loaned without an option to buy so he will normally return to London. Marseille haven’t definitely made a decision. They haven’t clearly said they want him to go, but that’s the way it’s heading.
“At the start of the season, he seduced fans and the club. He’s in a role where it’s hard to find high-level players. The Arsenal bosses have the same opinion as the Marseille ones. They don’t see him as a reliable player. If Arsenal offer him around in the next transfer window and Marseille believe it’s worth it, there might be something to work out. Marseille remain attentive, but the likelihood is a return to Arsenal.”
The 23-year-old was signed by Arsenal in 2021 in an €8m deal from Benfica, and while he was never meant to play as much as he did, Arteta was forced to rely on him after an injury to Kieran Tierney.
He didn’t overly impress, and was sent to Marseille for the season to get some experience, much like William Saliba did last season.
He has played, making 32 appearances and scoring six goals in all competitions, but the general consensus to date is as above: there’s promise, but it might not be enough to guarantee him a future at either club.
