3 reasons why Marseille is a great loan destination for Nuno Tavares

Let the declutter begin. After an extraordinary summer of activity that has featured the arrival of five new faces and a league-topping outlay of £120m, Arsenal will now turn their attention to the departure lounge and one player who looks set to leave the club this week is the enigmatic Nuno Tavares.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday that Marseille had won the race for the 22-year-old and he’ll be joining the French giants on a season-long loan.

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1553113068888096771

The Portuguese full-back had a peculiar debut campaign in north London to say the least, with a mix of wonderful offensive moments and infuriating rear-guard efforts leaving fans enthused and perplexed in equal measure.

3 reasons why Nuno Tavares’ loan from Arsenal to Marseille is a good move.

But despite question marks over his performances, there is a strong belief that Tavares does have the talent to succeed and he simply needs experience and consistent playing time to realise his potential, something he will likely receive when he completes the switch to Marseille.

The Olympians fought off stiff competition from Atalanta and Brighton to secure the 22-year-old’s signature, and here are three reasons why this French adventure is a good move for all parties.

1. A good tactical fit for Igor Tudor

Arsenal loan manager Ben Knapper is said to follow a meticulous ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitching process when in search of suitable clubs for temporary deals, and the methods of new head coach Igor Tudor suggest Marseille will be a good fit for Tavares next season.

Speaking at his presentation press conference earlier this month, Tudor expressed his preference for “intense and courageous” football and vowed that fans will not leave the stadium disappointed. The Croat lives up to his promise by employing a 3-4-2-1 formation, encouraging a high-octane style to harry the opponent and instructing his side to get the ball forward quickly once possession is recovered.

The aggressive philosophy is executed with the help of advanced full-backs who provide width and function as the go-to attacking outlets in transition, enabling the team to progress the play at speed and stretch opposition defences.

Such high-risk, high-reward methods sound ideal for Tavares’ skillset as amidst the lapses in concentration and inexplicable defensive errors, he is brave on the ball and loves to use his athleticism to drive into space, while the licence to roam in a wing-back system should see him excel.

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