Nuno Tavares has enjoyed a successful start to life at Arsenal.
The Portugal Under-21 international signed from Benfica in a deal worth roughly £8million in the summer and is quickly becoming someone the fans admire.
Although he is behind Kieran Tierney in the Gunners’ left-back pecking order, he has finally added some welcomed competition in that position and provides perfect cover for the Scotsman who’s struggled with injury problems since his respective Emirates arrival in 2019.
He hasn’t played too many games in red and white just yet, but Tavares has shown that he is more than capable of doing a job, and when he has been trusted from the start, Arsenal fans have noticed that he’s very gifted going forward.
Even though that came against notably lesser opposition and therefore was a game the Gunners were expected to win, the 21-year-old highlighted what his attacking threat.
Tavares has continued to show his attacking potential on under-21 international duty too, as Portugal’s youngsters handed Liechtenstein a heavy 11-0 defeat last night, with Arsenal ’s full-back getting on the scoresheet and providing two assists to add some gloss to the victory.
Tavares put on a perfectly balanced display against AFC Wimbledon last month, a performance that earned him the man of the match award.
He took his goal with aplomb, angling a left-footed strike inside the goalkeeper’s near post.
And after a video of his well-taken finish surfaced on Twitter, Arsenal fans have called for Mikel Arteta to consider playing him in a more forward role in the future, as they believe that he could fulfil his full potential by becoming a winger in the long-term.
Take a look at what some fans have said above.
Tavares will remain a left-back for now at least, but you can understand why some fans can see him playing further forward, and perhaps that’s a healthy option for Arteta to consider.
