Lazio's Nuno Tavares
Gennaro Gattuso has told Nuno Tavares that he should be playing for Real Madrid rather than Lazio.
The Italian manager was speaking about his own legacy when he brought up the former Gunners left-back.
Lazio's Nuno Tavares3
Tavares joined Lazio on loan in 2024 and made the move permanent the following summer
Tavares joined Arsenal from Benfica in 2021.
From there, he lasted just one season before joining Marseille on loan, which was followed by a brief spell at Nottingham Forest.
Lazio then signed him in the summer of 2024 on an initial loan before turning that permanent for £7.5million the following summer.
The 26-year-old has established himself with the Italian giants, and Gattuso was very positive in his praise for the Portuguese international.
Speaking to DAZN Italia, he said: "I always said that Tavares is worthy of Real Madrid.
"He feels like someone who lost his parents young, received a big inheritance, and in five years it went up in smoke.
"This is a player who ought to be at Real Madrid. He’s got everything it takes, he has pace, right foot, left foot.
"He is unusual, but after a match he needs his time to recover, but he’s a good lad, you need to get into his head and make him understand.
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“He knows he has talent and could’ve had 10/12 years at Real Madrid with his qualities. You’ve just got to get him to understand.”
Gennaro Gattuso of Italy celebrates during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Estonia3
Gattuso is a huge Tavares fan
Didn't quite work out
Tavares managed 28 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions across the 2021/22 season.
He was mainly at left-back but could operate further forward.
However, he never quite got to grips with the relentless pace of English football and Mikel Arteta was unconvinced.
There was a point near the end of his only season as a first-team player with Arsenal that Kieran Tierney was injured, and Tavares had to step in.
After being substituted in one game, Arteta urged Tavares to respond.
He said: "Throughout your career, you have to go through difficult periods.
"That is the development curve of a player, it is up and down but he is ready and he is willing.
Nuno Tavares while playing for Arsenal3
Tavares never quite convinced in the Premier League
"He will be disappointed, but it is part of my job. We have to make decisions to try to win football matches - but it is nothing personal.
"Obviously, I spoke with Nuno because I care a lot about how the players feel, and we are here to make their careers better.
"The decision hurt him. He has to react on that situation because it is a great opportunity to learn a lot in that period in your career."
In the end, he was moved on with various reports suggesting that the Spaniard didn't like his attitude.
But at 26, he now has a stable home and is playing regular football in one of the best leagues in the world.