"My priority is to return" – Forgotten Arsenal loanee makes interesting transfer admission

Arsenal star Nuno Tavares, who spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Nottingham Forest, has asserted that he is keen to fight for a place at Mikel Arteta's outfit next season.

Tavares, who left Benfica to join the Gunners for close to £7 million in the summer of 2021, has struggled to cement himself as a squad member at his club so far. He featured in 39 outings while on loan at Olympique Marseille in the 2022-23 season and played in just 12 games across all competitions during his loan spell at Forest last term.

During an interview with Portuguese outlet Noticias ao Minuto, Tavares was asked to shed light on his future at the Emirates Stadium outfit. The 24-year-old left-back responded:

"My priority is to return to Arsenal. After that, only the future will tell. Everyone knows that I have another year left on my contract. I have people I trust looking after my future. There have been a few approaches, but I always leave it to whoever is in charge of my future."

Should Tavares manage to convince Arteta in the pre-season, he would likely be a squad option for Arsenal. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are believed to be ahead of Tavares in the club's pecking order.

So far, Tavares has made 28 appearances for the north London outfit.

Pundit urges England to use Arsenal star at left-back to make room for rival team's star

After England's drab 0-0 UEFA Euro 2024 Group C draw against Slovenia on June 25, Arsenal legend Ian Wright stated that Bukayo Saka should be played as a left-back. He told ITV (h/t Mirror):

"As great as Saka has done for England in terms of what he creates and his goals and assists, he is a natural left-sided player. He started playing for England on the left at youth level, he started at Arsenal on the left. If that’s going to give you the balance and get you Cole Palmer in the team, it’s something you have to at least look at."

Wright, who helped the Gunners lift the league title in 1998, concluded:

"Yes, Kyle Walker can play there [at left-back], it's the same situation where you have the player coming inside, you have no one going around. He's a natural left-footer Saka, we could activate the whole left side."

Saka, 22, started his career as a left-back before being moulded into a right inside forward. He has started all three of England's Euro games.

Cole Palmer, on the other hand, shone on the right flank for The Three Lions after replacing Saka in the 71st minute of their final Group C tie.