Lazio signed Nuno Tavares from Arsenal on an initial loan deal in the summer transfer window.
The Portuguese has been impressive for the Roman club this season, having racked up eight assists and establishing himself as one of the best left-backs in the division.
Lazio have the option to buy the player permanently in the summer and Corriere dello Sport have provided an update about the 25-year-old.
They state that for the Italian side, signing Tavares was like uncovering a piece of treasure. Lazio see the full-back as a multi-million dollar signing and they do not want to miss out on exercising the buy option quickly.
That is why they are in a rush to sign him permanently, with Arsenal set to receive a fee of €5m.
The amount has been described as ‘a trifle’ because of the outlet’s belief that he is actually worth much, much more.
Lazio CEO Claudio Lotito currently values the player at about €60m. That price will only go up if Tavares keeps performing well.
Arsenal do have a 40 percent sell-on clause inserted in the deal but the Biancocelesti do not mind that, because of their massive asking price.
If Lazio reach the Champions League, they will not be in the immediate need to sell the defender, but if they do not qualify for the Champions League, Tavares could be sold for a major fee.
In the meantime, Marco Baroni’s side do not want to waste time and want to trigger the option to buy before the summer transfer window starts.
