(Football news) Arsenal second choice left-back Nuno Tavares has completed a season-long loan to Marseille. According to reports it has been understood that the Ligue 1 side do not have an option to buy. Arsenal have already signed Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City for a £30million fee earlier this month, which meant that Tavares fell down the pecking order. Last season he made 28 appearances across all competitions in 2021-22, starting the majority of his games towards the end of the season, when Kieran Tierney was injured.

Tavares is a Portugal Under-21 international who arrived from Benfica for around £8m in July 2021. Arsenal have a history of loaning several players to Marseille in recent years, including centre-back William Saliba, who returned to north London this summer and midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, who made his move to France permanent last month.The 22-year scored once and assisted twice. The Portuguese scored on his first appearance for the Gunners, netting in the pre-season friendly against Rangers in July 2021. Nuno’s first competitive Arsenal goal came in a 3-1 Premier League home win against Manchester United back in April.

Arsenal fans will be optimistic Tavares can upset those odds and hopefully thrive at the Stade Vélodrome next season as Marseille have proven their expertise in the field of youth development, as William Saliba has become a French international with his performances at Marseille. The French centre-half was already a star in the making when he returned to Ligue 1 last season, but he desperately needed regular first-team action to further his progress and he gained the experience with  Jorge Sampaoli in defence, where a series of magnificent displays moulded him into quite a player..

A club statement said: “Everyone at Arsenal wishes Nuno all the best this coming season with Marseille.”

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