Arsenal stand to benefit from any sale of Nuno Tavares this month, with a large sell-on clause now shaping negotiations between Lazio and Beşiktaş.
Tavares left Arsenal cheaply in the summer, joining Lazio for a fee reported at around €5m. The low price reflected Arsenal’s willingness to move the player on, but the deal included a significant sell-on clause, widely reported at between 35 and 40 per cent.
That clause is now central to Lazio’s position. Beşiktaş have made an opening offer in the region of €9-10m, but Lazio are holding out for closer to €15m.
Any sale at the lower end of that range would see a substantial portion of the fee going to Arsenal, limiting Lazio’s return.
Lazio had hoped to sell Tavares immediately after signing him last summer. Italian reports suggested they were seeking a fee of around €40m, a figure driven in part by the size of Arsenal’s clause. No club was prepared to meet that valuation and Tavares remained in Rome.
The 25-year-old has made 10 appearances this season, totalling just 533 minutes, with one assist to his name.
Lazio are now exploring alternatives at left-back and are understood to be looking to line up a replacement before approving any exit.