PSG star thinks Arsenal outcast has so much ‘quality’ – Edu made a big mistake

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In his final transfer window at Arsenal, Edu Gaspar oversaw the departure of 11 senior players.

Aaron Ramsdale, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe all left Arsenal permanently, whereas several players also departed either on loan or at the end of their contracts.

In truth, there wasn’t a lot of controversy surrounding the players Arsenal let go, aside from Smith Rowe.

Arsenal have been told they made a mistake selling Smith Rowe, a creative spark who’s now thriving at Fulham.

However, you’d be hard pressed to find any Arsenal fans complaining about Nuno Tavares leaving in the summer.

Tavares left to join Lazio on loan, a move that contained an obligation to buy clause.

Nuno Mendes says former Arsenal man Nuno Tavares is top quality

That being said, Tavares has been brilliant in Italy this season – he can’t stop assisting goals in Serie A.

Now, Tavares has been called up by Portugal for the first time, perhaps leaving egg on Arsenal’s face, so to speak.

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It would be silly to suggest that Edu shouldn’t have let the defender go in the summer, but Arsenal’s asking price for Tavares was far too low in hindsight.

Speaking to CNN, Paris Saint-Germain defender Nuno Mendes supported that conclusion, a player who is competing against Tavares to play as Portugal’s left-back.

After training with Tavares, Mendes said: “It’s a pleasure to play with Nuno Tavares, he’s a player with a lot of quality and he’s been showing a lot of quality at Lazio.

“He’s a direct opponent but he’s a player with a lot of quality, if he’s here it’s because he’s shown that.

“I like having teammates I can learn from. It’s good for me and for him. He’s played ten games, got eight assists, he’s the quality of Portugal.”

Nuno Tavares has more assists that Bukayo Saka this season

Amazingly, after registering eight assists in nine Serie A appearances this season, Tavares actually has better numbers than any Arsenal player in that regard.

Bukayo Saka has seven assists this season, but behind him, Gabriel Martinelli only has two.

Evidently the Serie A is better suited to Tavares’ skill-set, who didn’t exactly thrive on a recent loan at Nottingham Forest either.

A full-back that is brilliant going forward, but not one who Arteta would deem good enough to defend in a title-winning side in the Premier League.