According to Di Marzio, Serie A side Atalanta is interested in signing Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares, and the Gunners are also ready to transfer him.
Tavares only joined Arsenal from Benfica last summer, but despite appearing in 22 Premier League games for the Gunners, he has failed to impress.
Mikel Arteta appears to have lost faith in the defender, which is why he is willing to let him go for a fee of roughly €40 million.
The Gunners, according to Di Marzio, want either a straightforward loan arrangement with no option to buy or a loan deal with an obligation to buy for the aforementioned fee. Atalanta, on the other hand, is not keen on walking on either of these paths.
Should Arsenal sell off Nuno Tavares or should they hold onto him?
Nuno Tavares has had a lot of game time at Arsenal this season as a result of Kierney’s ongoing injury troubles, but the left-back has been a disappointment. Despite playing 1177 minutes in the league, he only had one assist.
He’s looked wobbly in defense and entirely out of ideas in the attacking zones. Tavares isn’t even capable of becoming Kierney’s understudy, let alone securing the left-back position.
Another reason Mikel Arteta does not need to keep hold of the 22-year-old is that the club is close to signing Aaron Hickey, who can be an excellent backup to his national teammate.
According to multiple reports, Arsenal beat Villa and Newcastle to the signing of Hickey, and once he arrives, the management will no longer need Nuno Tavares.
However, Atalanta would not agree to pay such a high amount for such a poor full-back, so Arsenal will have to either find a middle ground or retain him on their books and try to move him during the January transfer window.
