- Arsenal signed Tavares from Benfica in 2021 but failed to convince Arteta
- The defender has been on loan at Marseille, Nottingham Forest and now at Lazio
- LISTEN NOW: It’s all starting! available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has sensationally claimed that a fee close to £60m would not be enough to buy Nuno Tavares.
The surprising statement comes as the defender is experiencing an unprecedented level of production in Serie A since his summer signing, which saw Lazio loan him to the Emirates with an obligation to buy him next summer for £7.5 millions.
Tavares leads the division in assists this season and has recorded eight in as many outings for the team currently in fifth place in the table. His performances are far from those produced in the Premier League with Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Lotito, who signed the 24-year-old on loan from the Gunners with an obligation to buy, said: “I will not sell Tavares, even for €70m (£59m). We have surpassed strong competition from the big clubs to sign the left-back in the summer.
Tavares, who is yet to receive a full international cap with Portugal, moved to north London from Benfica in 2021 and made 28 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Nuno Tavares has made a spectacular start in Italy with Lazio and already has eight assists in the league, having left the Emirates for his new club in the summer window.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito insisted he would not sell the defender even for £59m.
The 24-year-old failed to impress at Arsenal and has been on loan for the past three seasons.
However, he failed to land a place under Mikel Arteta and was sent on a series of loan spells, first stopping at Marseille before a brief spell at Forest and now Rome.
The defender finally seems to have found his place and flourishing in Italy after three difficult seasons.
Last month, Lotito told Il Messaggero: “We have built a new team with potential adapted to today’s football, be patient.”
‘Ours is a real and strong group. We have many players called up for the national team, but I am convinced that all the new players are also of a high level.
‘But have you seen what technique (Taty) Castellanos has? And now he has also made his debut for Argentina.
The former Arsenal star was routinely criticized for his performances and only played 28 games.
“You always have to give players time to adapt. Tavares is the same, have you seen the player he is? And now you will also see (Samuel) Gigot.’
Lazio thrashed Como 5-1 on Thursday night and Tavares took his league assist tally to eight. Unfortunately, the defender also received a red card in the match, which will mean he will have to wait another week to add to his league-leading total.
