Arsenal will reportedly soon bank their first transfer fee of the summer transfer window, as Nuno Tavares's €9m (£7.6m) move to Lazio on a permanent deal is imminent.
The former Benfica youngster initially made a positive impression under Mikel Arteta as Kieran Tierney's deputy in the 2021-22 season, but things quickly turned sour.
The 25-year-old was effectively frozen out of the squad, but he has found safe haven in Italy, managing nine assists in 28 appearances for a Lazio side who sit fifth in the Serie A table.
The Biancocelesti are only below Juventus on goal difference and are firmly in contention for a Champions League place heading into the final round of fixtures, thanks in no small part to Tavares.
The left-back's eight assists in the Italian top flight is the joint third-most in the division, only behind Romelu Lukaku's 10 for league leaders Napoli and Christian Pulisic's nine for AC Milan.
Arsenal 'to bank £7.6m' through Tavares sale
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Lazio agreed to make Tavares's stay permanent if certain sporting conditions were met, and according to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners will soon wave goodbye to the 2000-born defender.
The esteemed journalist reports that Arsenal will bank €9m (£7.6m) through Tavares's sale, a minor profit on the €8m (£6.7m) they paid for his services back in the summer of 2021.
The Gunners could potentially then bank even more money thanks to the left-back, as Romano adds that they will retain a sell-on clause, and Juventus have been linked with Tavares as a replacement for Manchester City target Andrea Cambiaso.
There is the possibility that Lazio could offload Tavares to Juve immediately after signing him permanently, and the Biancocelesti would be after £34m to let him depart, representing a major profit for them and another potential boost for Arsenal.
Tavares will leave the Emirates Stadium having registered one goal and two assists in 28 competitive matches for Arteta, who also allowed him to go out on loan to Marseille and Nottingham Forest.
Tavares goes, but who else should Arsenal sell?
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Some Gooners may remember Tavares's explosive display against Aston Villa in 2021 and hope that would be a sign of things to come for the left-back; alas, that has not been the case.
The 25-year-old is not the only loanee who should bid farewell to Arsenal this summer, as Albert Sambi Lokonga will soon return from his Sevilla loan but seemingly does not have a future at the club either.
Karl Hein, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson may also have to find new stomping grounds when they return to North London too, while Kieran Tierney and Jorginho will exit on free transfers.
Elsewhere, Arsenal should open the floor to bids for Oleksandr Zinchenko and potentially Leandro Trossard too, although talks are apparently ongoing to extend the latter's contract until 2029.
Ben Knapton
