Forgotten Arsenal star finally leaves for Lazio – three years after his last appearance

Arsenal defender Nuno Tavares has completed a permanent transfer to Lazio for a reported £6million, three years after making his last appearance for Mikel Arteta‘s side.

The 25-year-old moved to the Emirates from Benfica in the summer of 2021 and made 28 appearances in all competitions during his debut season, scoring once in a 3-1 win against Manchester United.

Part of a side that finished fifth, narrowly missing out on qualification for the Champions League and laying the foundations for title challenges that came in the following seasons, he was ultimately deemed surplus to requirements in the face of competition from Oleksandr Zinchenko, who joined in the summer of 2022.

Tavares spent the next three seasons on loan at Marseille, Nottingham Forest and Lazio, with whom he has now signed a three-year deal.

He recorded nine league assists for the Rome side as they finished seventh in Serie A last season and earned his first senior international cap for Portugal in November in a 5-1 Nations League win over Poland.

In a statement, the Gunners said: ‘Everyone at Arsenal would like to thank Nuno for his contribution to the club and wish him all the best for the future.’

The full back has endured multiple loan spells in the last three years and has not featured for Arsenal since 2022