Arsenal made their first signing of the summer when they completed the purchase of Nuno Tavares from Portuguese giants Benfica. This was an important move for many reasons, so let’s look at what the youngster can bring to the team.
The biggest role that the 20-year-old will have is to become the deputy to Kieran Tierney. The Scot is the first choice left-back at the club but has known to suffer from an injury every now and then. This happened at a crucial time last season and played a part in the Gunners getting knocked out of the Europa League.
But now that they have an actual backup for Tierney, manager Mikel Arteta will be able to rotate his squad and manage if any injuries were to happen. And in Nuno Tavares, they have a player who is ideally suited to the Premier League.
He has the physique needed to mix it up with the opposition wingers and has some similarities to his Scottish counterpart.
As with Tierney, the Portuguese is also extremely pacey and has a wonderful cross on him. And since the north Londoners love to attack down the left, this will help get the best out of the former Benfica man.
Due to the youngsterโs two-footedness, there is another way he will be able to contribute.
At club level, Tavares has occasionally played as a right-back and as we saw against Rangers, he is comfortable using his right foot. This makes the defender a versatile option and someone who can fill in anywhere if needed.
Needless to say, the Portugal international can play as a wing-back or even further ahead if the situation demands.
The 20-year-old can be a bit hasty in his decision-making but that can be coached out of his system.
There is real potential present in this player and Arsenal have to be appreciated for getting this deal done and for such a cheap price.
It fills an important part of the squad that was missing and puts the Gunners in a better situation heading into next season.
