Arsenal youngster Nuno Tavares has been backed by Olympique Marseille boss Igor Tudor to become "one of the strongest" in the world. The Portuguese defender is spending the season on loan with the French side as he looks to progress his ability to begin competing for a place in the first-team back at the Emirates.
The loan exit comes after a difficult season for the left-back, having moved to North London for roughly £8million as a promising backup option to Kieran Tierney. After the Scotsman was handed some injury concerns, Tavares had a chance to show his ability but struggled to do so.
It led to Mikel Arteta substituting him at half-time in a few matches while playing one of Takehiro Tomiyasu or Granit Xhaka there instead. After the summer signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko, his switch to Marseille came as a way to guarantee minutes and progress his career.
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The 22-year-old has done that so far, scoring three in eight league games for the club despite being a full-back. It led to Tudor making a huge claim, saying: "He's a good boy, professional, a bit shy off the pitch but not on the pitch. He is very young, he already has a lot of qualities. It can still grow on the decisions and the choices. He will then become one of the strongest in the world."
It suggests there's still plenty for Tavares to work on, but there is also the potential that Arsenal saw in him when signing him last summer. One suggestion made could be that the Gunners copy a trick that saw Gareth Bale rise to the very top.
The Welshman started out as a left-back, too, before he was switched to play as a winger, causing chaos for plenty of defences during his peak. Given Tavares' goal sense and the issues he causes higher up the pitch, that could be something Arsenal look to do, which would also mitigate his defensive concerns.
It remains to be seen if he can become one of the best in the world, but there is certainly hope that he can do that and in the colours of Arsenal.
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