Arsenal set for January decision as Arteta wields axe on £30k-a-week flop he signed

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Arsenal flop Nuno Tavares spent the first half of this season on loan at Nottingham Forest, but he could end up back at the Emirates this month.

Tavares joined Arsenal in 2021, but after a disappointing season under Mikel Arteta, he was loaned to Marseille, where he had a promising campaign.

This led to Nottingham Forest signing him on loan, with a £12m option to buy in the summer, but he has made just three appearances, and new manager Nuno Espirito Santo is now aiming to trim his squad down.

Arsenal set for Nuno Tavares decision

A report from The Standard has now revealed that Tavares could see his loan cut short by Forest and he could return to Arsenal in the winter window, as he does not appear to be in Espirito Santo’s plans.

There is interest from clubs in Europe for the 23-year-old, and Arsenal may look to sell him in the winter window in order to ease their financial fair play problems, which are preventing them from spending too heavily this month.

Tavares has not appeared for Forest since September, and it remains to be seen what kind of fee clubs in Europe could offer for the £30k-a-week defender.

Arsenal’s decision to sell again will come despite Mikel Arteta’s desperation for a defender.

It is clear that the club do not see Tavares as an option on the left side despite Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s absences, and Oleksandr Zinchenko’s poor recent form, so the best move would be a sale now if possible.

Nuno Tavares’ disappointing Arsenal spell

The Portuguese left-back joined from Benfica as a backup to Kieran Tierney, and initially showed signs of promise before he was torn apart in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool.

In 28 appearances for the club across all competitions, Tavares scored once in a victory over Manchester United, and his displays were a roller-coaster ride, as his speed going forward did not fully mask his poor defensive ability.

Although he was speedy and physical, his lack of defensive awareness was often exposed, and the promise he showed going forward was not matched at the back. He provided two assists during his time at the club, before enjoying a productive campaign at Marseille last season with a goal and seven assists.

If Arsenal can gain a fee for him now, it feels unlikely that it will exceed the £12m Forest could have paid in the summer if he was a success, but if they are able to make a profit on the £8m they spent in 2021, Arteta will almost certainly be open to a sale.