Talks between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal for Nuno Tavares getting complicated
|Talks between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal for the transfer of Portuguese defender Nuno Tavares have gotten complicated, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The 23-year-old is not in the plans of Gunners manager Mikel Arteta going forward and is expected to leave having spent last season on loan in Ligue 1 with Marseille.
Forest already signed Matt Turner from Arsenal, but it appears getting a deal done for Tavares could prove difficult, and both clubs could end talks, with other options available for the left-back.
West Ham United were linked with the Portugal under-21 international earlier in the summer transfer window, while Turkish Super Lig club Galatasaray and some Premier League clubs were also keeping tabs on his situation.
Forest want to sign Tavares permanently having been attracted with his return of six goals in 31 appearances last term.
However, it appears the City Ground club have not met the asking price Arsenal want for the defender.
Tavares moved to the North London club from Benfica in a deal worth £8 million in the summer of 2021, and while the Daily Mirror recently claimed that Forest are hoping to do a deal for £30m, it is safe to say that the report is not true as Arsenal will jump at the chance to sell the player for such a fee.
Tavares started his loan stint at Marseille brightly but faded as the season went on, but a feud with manager Igor Tudor could have been the main reason they opted against signing him permanently.
His reaction to being withdrawn after 34 minutes against Forest in January 2022 appears to have played a huge role in him falling out of favour completely with Arteta, and he needs to start behaving well if he wants to make anything out of his promising talents and career.