Nuno Tavares has been one of the high-scoring defenders in Europe this season and seems to have a good campaign at Olympique Marseille.
However, the defender still struggles at the back, which is one reason Arsenal sent him out on loan to continue his development.
OM has used him as one of their regulars, but Tavares hasn’t developed much in defence, which has been an issue for the club.
The Portugal U21 international is now set to return to Arsenal. A report on Sport Witness claims the defender cannot return to the French club on loan for another season because of his contract situation at Arsenal and OM has no intention of permanently adding him to their squad.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Tavares has had a relatively good spell in France, but the areas of his game that needs to get better are still not so good.
He could use the next few months to improve defensively, or he probably should switch to becoming a winger, which will hand him the attacking freedom he loves to enjoy in matches.
If he does not improve defensively, he will still struggle to earn a place back at Arsenal by next season when he is back in training with the club.
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Arsenal did not send Nuno Tavares on a loan out last summer to be kept by his loaned club.
But was sent out on loan to acquire valuable matxh playing experience to improved on his erratic game playing at Arsenal. And then return to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell to get another chance to play for the Gunners again.
I fail to see why anyone including our own Arteta regards TAVARES as a defender at all. It is plain form his very start that he has precisely zero defensive nous. Just as Bellerin befor him also did, though HE stayed here as a defender- spectularly badly too IMO, for many years.
Lets not make the same mistake with the talented TAVARES. Talented when going forward but NOT, NEVER EVER as a defender.
If he returns and plays in defence, we will pay the ultimate price.It would be stupidity on a grand scale and must NOT happen.
Arteta needs to think outside the box with regards to Nuno Tavares. The boy loves to score, is not a bad ball header, is quick and has a decent set of ball skills(better than Harland). Why not try him as a Centre-Forward that we so much need. Antonio (Westham United)started off as a defender and converted into a deadly striker.