Arsenal wants to offload Nuno Tavares in this transfer window, but it seems the defender wants to stay and fight for his place instead.
The Gunners have been in the market for new players and some of their current options will have to make way.
They have already offloaded most of the players Mikel Arteta inherited at the Emirates and he continues his rebuild.
They signed Tavares last summer to provide cover for Kieran Tierney at left-back.
The Portuguese star struggled to achieve that in the last campaign and it frustrated Mikel Arteta.
The Spanish manager has now signed Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, subject to confirmation.
The Ukrainian is a more accomplished player and he will certainly play ahead of Tavares.
However, a report on Sport Witness maintains that Tavares still doesn’t want to leave the Emirates for Olympique Marseille, which has the most serious interest in him.
It claims he held talks with the French club and told them he is not coming.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Tavares will hardly play if he remains at Arsenal, and he should be eager to leave the club.
Understandably, he wants to stay in England. He probably will prefer to move on loan to another EPL club.
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Let’s not assume Zinchenko is joining us as backup LB, not when he could have stayed at City and likely won more teophies.
He likely joined us for opportunities in midfield, something he couldn’t get at City.
If Arteta plays 3 CB’s then Tavares is a good LWB. Otherwise, getting hopefully 30+ games on loan at Brighton is a great option as well.
Cedric can play LB if Bellerin stays for RB.
@Durand
That’s why it made so much more sense to go after Cucurella instead of Zinchenko…IJS
A loan to Brighton would be an ideal “solution” for Tavares as they usually play with a back three, and he is more effective as a LWB than a LB.The prospect of Cedric filling in at LB does not appeal to me at all and hopefully Tierney and Zinchenko will stay fit next season.
I agree but would say I don’t think Cedric is awful as an emergency left back. He is a proper fullback, and I don’t think it would be too far outside his comfort zone – we just wouldn’t get much out of him in attack
We could also play Tomi at left back if the situation arises, and I think he’s reasonably comfortable there
I cant see Zinchenko agreeing to join us to play as a left back. He has said that he is a central midfielder and Pep has said that his natural position is a number 10
“In the position that we have in the midfield, in the pockets as the attacking midfielder,” Guardiola told reporters back in April.
“That is his position, definitely. When we brought Oleks for £2million from Ukraine, he was a No.10 – a Phil Foden position, a creative player – but the needs we had… We didn’t have a left-back for many years.
“Fabian Delph adapted incredibly well in that position and Oleks as well. That’s happened because he is well-educated, he knows exactly what it means. He adapted and said: ‘Okay, what does the team need? I’m going to do it.’”
So I can see him playing either along side Odegaard, cover/alternative for Odegaard, Xhaka and Partey. If anything it wouldn’t surprise me if he has said before signing that he will be a last resort “Left Back” as he only did it for needs must. Otherwise, why leave Sh!tty if you still keep winning trophies, reaping the rewards of being a winner and it definitely isn’t for the money?
That is a disrespectful headline for an Arsenal “supporter” to write, stuck with, smh.
👍🏻
@Declan
RealTalk. Anyone else would be attacked as a “fake supporter” or told to “support “ the players and manager. Even called a “secret Spud”…IJS
@nyg
Why?
@Admin Pat
Reread the headline. Then tell me what’s so right about it…
I don’t know why people are surprised,this is nothing new.every player who wants to leave or that the club tries to move on, that doesn’t play…are called very demeaning names or worse on JA and i find it sad.
Buying players for vast sums then giving them huge salaries on long term contracts guaranteeing their money whether they suceed or not is essentially madness. But all clubs keep doing it. No wonder all clubs are “stuck” with under performers or deadwood what ever you wanna call it. Lower fees lower salaries shorter contracts based on performances is far more logical. Clubs can obviously afford to lose vast sums other wise they would have changed to a diffent formular by now.