Who is Nuno Tavares?

04/07/2021

Despite the quality of Kieran Tierney, he is a player that has always been hampered by injuries - last season Cedric and Xhaka deputised for the Scot in the left-back position. Arsenal recognise that they must find a more suitable back-up option. That comes in the shape of 21 year-old Benfica left-back Nuno Tavares who is joining the club for under 10 million euros. So, how good is the Portuguese left-back, and what role will he have at Arsenal this season?


Tavares is a player that has always been highly rated in Benfica. As he was rising through the academy, Benfica manager, Jorge Jesus claimed that: 'Nuno Tavares is the future of Benfica and the national team.' He made his breakthrough in the 2019/20 season, aged 19. Tavares would go on to make 12 appearances for Benfica in all competitions, including a stunning debut, where he scored from 25 yards and made two assists.

That season, an injury to Andre Almeida, meant that Tavares, who is comfortable on either foot, was deployed as a right-back. In fact, his first 3 matches for Benfica all came at the right side of defence.


Last season, Tavares failed to push on as many had predicted. He only clocked up 1,300 minutes in all competitions, making it harder to foresee the impact the 21 year-old will have at Arsenal.

The main takeaway is that Tavares is a quick, athletic left-back who comes to life in the opponent's half.

He managed 7.28 dribbles per 90, coupled with 4.98 crosses per 90. This indicates an attack-minded left-back that offers an additional attacking avenue down the left channel. Against Arsenal in the Europa League. he chipped a perfectly-weighted ball to his team-mate, only for them to hit the post.


Tavares also attempted 51 passes per 90 in Liga NOS last season, along with 5.62 passes into the final third. With Benfica being one of the dominant forces in Portuguse football, it is expected that they will have copious amounts of possession. At Arsenal, Tavares will expect to attempt much fewer passes. Still, his intention to pass the ball frequently highlights how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet, a must for Arsenal defenders, considering Arteta's belief in playing out from the back.


That being said, he can still have lapses in concentration on the ball. Against Rio Ave in the 2019/20 season, Tavares misplaced 8 of his first 20 passes. He's a player that thrives of instrictual decisions, rather than methodical ones.


Another area of concern would be Tavares' defensive capabilities. For all his good work in the final third, the left-back still is far from the finished article in his own half. Last season he managed 8.94 successful defensive actions (blocks, interceptions, tackles, headers) per 90, which ranked in the 35th percentile for Liga NOS players.

Despite only coming on for the final 5 minutes against Arsenal, Tavares was at fault for the goal that sent Arsenal through. On the right-wing, Saka did two step overs before cutting inside and whipping a ball to the back post for Aubameyang to head in. Whilst many more experienced defenders have fallen victim to Saka's brilliance of late, the ease in which the Englishman was able to cut in on his favoured left-foot is alarming.


There is also a question mark over Tavares' temperament. He was recently lambasted by Benfica fans for getting a tattoo of a lion on his arm, an animal typically associated with Benfica's city rivals, Sporting Lisbon. Since then, Tavares has stated that it was a tiger, not a lion. Any chance of Tavares healing his relationship with Benfica's fans evaporated after a video emerged on the player's Instagram, in which his barber could be seen insulting Grimaldo, a fellow left-back at Benfica.

In response Tavares alluded to the fact that he was looking to join another club.


Unsurprisingly, Benfica fans are now keen for the 21 year-old to leave the club, even if he is considered a talent. Such events could be the main cause for the low asking price of 10 million euros.

These are issues that may rear their ugly head further down the line, which could result into a repeat of the Mateo Guendouzi situation. Arsenal must believe that such a risk is worth taking.


Tavares will undoubtedly be the understudy to Tierney for the foreseeable future. However, Tavares may be encouraged by Tierney's horrific injury record, which could present him with additional first-team football.

Going forward, Tavares looks to be a similar player to Tierney. Both players are quick and relish getting up the pitch to whip crosses in.


Currently, Tierney is much more defensively sound than the 21 year-old, so it is unlikely that Tavares will feature too much in the league. If Arteta is to revert back to his 3-4-3, then Tavares would be able to slot in at left wing-back, with the assurance that Tierney is covering the left channel behind him.

Although we may not see much of Tavares next season, the signing relieves some of the burden off Tierney's shoulders. If Tavares has learned from his previous lapses of judgement, and is able to develop his game defensively, then Arsenal will be signing an effervescent , young prospect for a very reasonable price.


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