Arsenal have huge sell-on clause for loanee ripping up Serie A

Arsenal are poised to finally part ways with Nuno Tavares permanently this summer, and the Gunners could make a healthy sum when Lazio eventually decide to sell the left-back.

While doubtlessly talented, Tavares failed to make the grade under Mikel Arteta in north London. He joined the club as a 21-year-old in 2021, featuring only sporadically during his debut campaign. The Portuguese U21 international filled in for Kieran Tierney down the stretch in 2021/22 before Arteta drastically altered the dynamic of his team by signing Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Previous first choice Tierney was ushered to the bench as the inverted Zinchenko took hold. Tavares, deemed too raw and unreliable for Arteta's ascending project, earned loan moves to Nottingham Forest and Marseille.

Last summer, Arsenal agreed a loan deal with Serie A outfit Lazio which included a reported £7m option to buy fee. However, more recent reports suggest Lazio may only have to pay £4m to sign Tavares outright. It's an option they're bound to trigger given the season the full-back is having in Italy.

Arsenal have huge Nuno Tavares sell-on clause but could miss out on big profit

The 25-year-old started his Serie A career with eight assists in his first eight appearance. Tavares relished the attacking freedom handed to him by manager Marco Baroni, with the left-back establishing a fine relationship with Mattia Zaccagni, who prefers to drift infield, ahead of him.

While Tavares hasn't registered a goal contribution since the end of October, he's continue to impress down Lazio's left flank; garnering plenty of plaudits for his recent performance against Milan at the San Siro.

"I haven’t seen a player like that in Italy… maybe ever," CBS Sports pundit Mike Grella commented on Tavares' display following Lazio's 2-1 win. Nigel Reo-Coker also egregiously compared the Arsenal loanee with Inter icon Javier Zanetti.

Tavares has been excellent in Italy, and there's no doubt Arsenal, hadn't they already struck an agreement with Lazio regarding the option-to-buy fee, could've garnered much more for his sale this summer. However, on a brighter note, the Gunners do have a hefty 40% sell-on clause included on any potential sale.

The Biancocelesti, according to Il Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia), value the left-back at around €60m-65m. Back in October, though, when Tavares was on his rampaging assist run, Lazio president Claudio Lotito said he wouldn't sell the 25-year-old anytime soon. "Not even for €70m," he asserted.

Still, if Tavares continues to shine in the Eternal City and a buyer manifests this summer, there's scope for the Gunners to make a profit on the defender despite missing out on the whole pie.

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