Nuno Tavares is set to join Lazio on a permanent deal, as expected, becoming Arsenal’s first sale of the 2025 summer transfer window.
ROME, ITALY: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio in action during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Genoa at Stadio Olimpico on October 27, 2024. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images
Simon Collings reports for The Standard that Arsenal will kick off their summer business with the permanent exit of Nuno Tavares to Lazio.
Lazio are expected to activate their option to sign the loanee permanently for a fee of €7-8m (£5.9-6.7m), though reports in Italy suggest they may immediately look to sell the player for a quick profit.
That would actually be even better news for Arsenal, with the Gunners having a sell-on clause in Tavares’ contract. So they could hypothetically cash in when the option is activated and then again when the player is sold.
TURIN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 29: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio during the Serie match between Torino and Lazio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on September 29, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images
The exact value of Tavares’ sell-on clause is unclear, with some Italian sources claiming it could be as much as 40%, but Collings writing that it’s more like 25%. Either way, it could be a significant chunk of cash.
Arsenal originally signed Tavares for under £7m, so they look set to make a profit on him when all is said and done. It’s just not guaranteed whether the sell-on money will come in this summer or at a later date.
Another transfer would require a club being willing to take a risk on Tavares’ recent injury history, as he’s struggled on that front this season.
ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 31: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio in action during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico on August 31, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images
The left-back first suffered a hamstring injury in November, then an adductor injury in January.
Tavares’ third muscular injury came at the start of March, forcing him to miss a game against Udinese, and though he returned to the pitch the following midweek, he then suffered a setback and missed another Lazio fixture as well as the entire international break.
Once again, Tavares made his comeback on April 6th, only to suffer his third injury in a month. He then played 26 minutes against Bodo/Glimt on April 17th before leaving the field in tears.
In spite of all that, the 25-year-old has played 28 games and provided nine assists in 2024/25. He clearly has value when he’s available.
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