As far as their respective spells at Arsenal were concerned, the former Gunners duo were rather like ships passing in the night.
When The Gunners struck a deal to bring in a talented youngster to the tune of £8 million back in 2021, Matteo Guendouzi had already become persona non grata under Mikel Arteta.
Following his high-profile fall from grace, Guendouzi embarked on loan spells at Hertha Berlin and Marseille before bringing a permanent end to his Arsenal career a couple of summers’ ago.
But while Matteo Guendouzi and Nuno Tavares would never play together at Arsenal, they would end up sharing a dressing room across the Channel in France.
The full-back and the midfielder spent the 2022/23 campaign together with Marseille. Now, Tavares finds himself following in Guendouzi’s footsteps again.
Arsenal send Nuno Tavares to Lazio alongside Matteo Guendouzi
The former Benfica flyer reunites with the poodle-haired enforcer in the Italian capital, joining Lazio on an initial loan deal which could turn into a £5 million permanent transfer later down the line.
According to Calciomercato, a five-year contract has already been drawn up. An option-to-buy clause could turn into an obligation, meanwhile, if certain triggers are met over the coming months.
And, having helped Marseille finish third in France’s top flight back in 2023, Guendouzi is excited to work with Tavares again as the two former Arsenal misfits look to kick on at Lazio.
“I know Nuno Tavares. We played together at Marseille and he is a friend of mine,” Guendouzi tells the Lazio Style Channel, insisting that the Biancocelesti’s newest signing can blossom onto one of Serie A’s standout performers.
“When he called me and told me that Lazio were looking for him, I pushed to have him come because I know he is a great player and I think he can become one of the best full-backs in Italy.
“He has great qualities. I am 100 per cent sure of his qualities.
“I understand how the new coach wants to play, he asks us to be aggressive and wants to propose an offensive football, obviously it is not easy because we have started the season but I think we will all play a great season together.”
Together again in Serie A
The versatile, two-footed Tavares scored six goals from full-back at Marseille. He has since endured a far less impressive loan spell with Nottingham Forest, however, the 24-year-old now moving to Rome with a point to prove.
“We never crossed paths at Arsenal, but I did know Guendouzi from our time at Marseille,” Tavares says himself, explaining via the Lazio Style Channel the role a one-time PSG youngster played in his decision to leave London for Lazio.
“We had a great rapport and remained in contact. I did talk to him about Lazio and that made it easier for me to accept this move.”
“I am very happy to be at this club, I realised straight away that the fans are fantastic, they have great passion for the team. They can expect me to give my all to help Lazio win.”
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