Marseille is eyeing a potential re-signing of Arsenal’s Nuno Tavares, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.
This comes as part of their strategy to strengthen their left-back position, following recent changes in their squad.
Marseille’s quest for a second left-back has led them back to Arsenal’s Nuno Tavares, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.
Following the sale of Renan Lodi to Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) for €23 million, and the recent acquisition of Ulisses Garcia from Young Boys Berne for €3 million, Marseille finds themselves still in need of reinforcing the left side.
Despite Garcia’s addition, Marseille’s leadership recognises the need for another player in this position. They’ve explored various options, including interest in Adrien Truffert from Rennais, but have not pursued this further due to the complexity of the deal.
Their search has also extended within Ligue 1 and beyond, but it’s the familiar face of Tavares that has emerged as a viable option according to L’Equipe.
Tavares, who had a loan spell with Marseille last season, playing 31 Ligue 1 matches, finds himself in a less favourable situation at Nottingham Forest, although things have started to turn around under their new manager.
Under-utilised in the Premier League, with only three appearances, the 23-year-old Portuguese defender is reportedly open to a move, making a return to Marseille a feasible prospect.
His recent resurgence at Forest under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo has caught attention.
After being sidelined for a significant period despite being fit, Tavares made his return in Forest’s FA Cup clash against Blackpool on 7 January, playing 45 minutes as a substitute.
His contribution in the second half, which saw Forest equalise, was well received by the fans and could be a sign of a potential revival.
Tavares had started the season playing in Forest’s first three games before an injury sidelined him. Even after regaining fitness, he was left out of the squad for several matches, causing some speculation about his happiness at the club.
This period saw him delete social media accounts, but his recent return indicates a turnaround in his situation.
Just this week, Arsenal terminated the loan of Mika Biereth at Motherwell with a list of Championship clubs interested in taking him for the rest of the season.