Officials from Atalanta have reportedly landed in London to complete the loan signing of Arsenal defender Nuno Tavares, who is set to join the Bergamo side for the upcoming season.
According to Alfredo Pedulla, an intermediary representing the Serie A side had touched down in the English capital to close the deal to bring Tavares to Atalanta, with the Portuguese youth international set to leave Arsenal for the season on loan.
Tavares has been linked with a temporary exit from north London for most of the summer, with Olympique Marseille once in the driving seat to sign the fullback on loan, however, Atalanta have now taken the lead to land the former Benfica star, and a deal now looks close to being completed.
Signed just last year for a reported £8m, Tavares had a mixed first season in England where brilliant and composed performances in the first half of the campaign were overshadowed by disastrous displays in the second, particularly against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace where the left-back was hooked off just before half-time.
Whilst there is an obvious talent within Tavares, a loan move could be the catalyst that brings out the best in the young defender, and signing for Atalanta on loan could not be a more perfect club for the 22-year-old left-back given the Serie A side’s incredible record with fullbacks.
Robin Gosens and Timothy Castagne are just two left-backs who were developed at Atalanta before moving on to the likes of Inter Milan and Leicester City, and for Tavares, this crash course in Bergamo could be exactly what the defender needs to iron out his imperfections and to elevate his raw qualities.
Tavares signing for Atalanta could redefine his Arsenal career
After the success of William Saliba at Marseille, Arsenal seem to have finally got around the idea of which clubs to send certain players on loan to, and for Tavares, the defender could not be moving to a more perfect side for the season in Atalanta.
Even without European football, Gian Piero Gasperini has the science of developing players into world-beaters down to a tee, and for Tavares, provided the defender plays regular football, could be the club’s latest success story, much to the enjoyment of Arsenal.
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