9 months ago
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Arsenal’s attempts to sell Nuno Tavares to Olympique Marseille are being thwarted by Nottingham Forest, according to reports.
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After an impressive loan spell in France last season, Marseille are keen to re-sign the defender on a permanent deal and having initially been reluctant to let the player go, Mikel Arteta is now open to a sale.
With a net spend of £167million so far this season, selling an unwanted star like Tavares would be very useful for the Gunners and could well help them fund a move for a much needed centre-forward.
However, there is one large obstacle standing in the way of the transfer: Nottingham Forest.
Tavares joined Forest on loan for the 2023/24 season, with the Premier League side having the option to buy the left-back for £12m.
That seems unlikely at this stage, given that he has made just six appearances across all competitions this campaign.
He played in three league games in September, but then wouldn’t feature again until the new year, though it appears new manager Nuno Espirito Santo is more keen on the 23-year-old than predecessor Steve Cooper.
Regardless of his status in the first-team, Fabrizio Romano reports that Forest have no intention of sending Tavares back to the Emirates in January with the club battling to avoid relegation.
To make matters worse for Arsenal and Marseille, there is no recall clause in the Portuguese’s contract.
It is not known how much the Ligue 1 side are willing to pay for Tavares, who joined Arsenal from Benfica in 2021 for just £8m.
Forest are currently 16th in the table, just four points clear of the drop zone, and following an FA Cup fourth-round clash at Bristol City this weekend, they will host Arsenal in the league on 30th January.
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