Boss says £8m man let go by Arsenal will be ‘one of the best in the world’

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Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares is showing that he has the potential to become ‘one of the best in the world’ after leaving the Premier League giants for a spell at Marseille, L’OM coach Igor Tudor says in quotes reported by Top Mercato. 

One can only assume there are plenty of direct flights from London to Marseille these days. It’s become a path well travelled during recent transfer windows, after all; Tavares following in the footsteps of Matteo Guendouzi, William Saliba and Sead Kolasinac during the summer. 

Alexis Sanchez, the one-time Arsenal talisman, is enjoying a late-career bloom on French soil too after arriving from Inter Milan. 

And though the goals have dried up for Tavares – he hit the net in three of his first four Marseille games but has none since – the former Benfica flyer continues to make an excellent impression for a L’OM side putting a turbulent pre-season behind them while keeping pace with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1. 

Can Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares really become world-class?

“He’s a good boy, (a good) professional,” says former Juventus defender Tudor, who took over from Jorge Sampaoli at the Stade Velodrome before leading Marseille to seven wins out of nine domestically. 

“(Tavares is) a bit shy off the pitch but not on the pitch. He’s very young. He already has a lot of qualities. He can still improve his decision making, his choices. He’ll then become one of the best in the world.” 

It speaks volumes about Tavares’ potential that Arsenal – like with Saliba – refused to include an option-to-buy clause in the 22-year-old’s Marseille contract. Albeit, much to Tavares’ chagrin. 

“When signing with OM, I wanted to have an option to buy. But Arsenal refused,” the one-time Southampton and Newcastle United target tells RMC Sport. 

“Now I’m at OM and, with or without an option, I’m happy. At Arsenal, I would have probably only played in the cup. I came to Marseille to play in my position, in the Champions League, in the league and in the cup.”

Tavares has thrived as a left-wing-back in Tudor’s 3-4-3 formation. Whether he can make the same impact upon returning at Arsenal is anyone’s guess. Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s full-backs are expected to drift infield rather than stay wide on the flanks after all.