Serie A: ‘He should be playing for Real Madrid’ – Gattuso hails Arsenal flop

Lazio head coach, Gennaro Gattuso, has said Arsenal’s former player Nuno Tavares has “everything necessary” to play for Real Madrid.

Arsenal signed the left-back for £8 million from Benfica in July 2021, but he struggled to make an impact in his first season under Mikel Arteta at the Emirates.

This led to his loan transfer to Ligue 1 side Marseille the following summer, followed by loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Lazio, before the Italian side permanently signed him from Arsenal a year ago.

Tavares made 28 appearances across all competitions for Lazio, contributing to the club’s ninth-place finish in Serie A during a challenging season that culminated in Maurizio Sarri’s departure by mutual agreement.

Gattuso, who succeeded Sarri, has started the new season impressively, with Lazio winning three and drawing one of their first four league matches to move to the top of the table.

Tavares has started all but one of these matches, indicating that the new Lazio manager holds the Portugal international in high regard.

“I have always maintained that Tavares deserves to be at Real Madrid,” Gattuso, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, told DAZN.

“He reminds me of someone who lost their parents at a young age, inherited a fortune, and squandered it all within five years.

“This is a player who should be at Real Madrid. He possesses all the attributes: speed, a strong right foot, and a capable left foot.”