Nuno Tavares is a unique talent unlike anything Serie A has seen before—an unstoppable force akin to a bullet train.
Since joining Lazio on loan last summer—with an obligation to buy for around £6-7 million—the 25-year-old has been a revelation in Italy. His resurgence comes after a challenging spell in England, and Arsenal may come to regret letting him go.
Tavares leads Serie A in assists this season with eight, far surpassing the two he managed in his 28 Arsenal appearances. Initially, he impressed with his athleticism while covering for the injured Kieran Tierney, but concerns over his defensive abilities saw him fall out of favor with Mikel Arteta. Now, he has become one of Lazio’s standout performers.
His latest display, a high-energy performance in Lazio’s 2-1 win over AC Milan, left fans and pundits in awe. Former Brentford and Leeds winger Mike Grella, speaking on CBS Sports, marveled at Tavares’ relentless energy, joking, “Drug test him right now! He should be in there getting tested!”
Ex-West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker also praised his incredible work rate, likening him to Inter Milan legend Javier Zanetti. “He was like a Trojan horse today, he just didn’t stop,” Reo-Coker said, before adding, “He reminds me of Zanetti—I haven’t seen a player like this in so long.”
Grella echoed the sentiment, noting that in all his years watching Serie A, he had never seen a player with Tavares’ combination of speed and endurance. “I don’t know if Zanetti was that quick, but my God, this guy is a bullet train,” he remarked.
Tavares’ Arsenal career lasted just one season (2021/22) before loan spells at Marseille and Nottingham Forest. His time at Forest was underwhelming, leading the club to pass on a permanent deal. However, with Arsenal holding a 20% sell-on clause, they will be hoping Lazio cashes in on him this summer to bolster their transfer budget.