Arsenal have reportedly agreed to let Nuno Tavares join Lazio permanently at the end of his season-long loan in Rome.
Per the Evening Standard, the Serie A giants will pay around £5.9-6.7million to activate the buyout clause in the loan agreement.
Tavares joined Lazio last summer and has since become one of the most highly rated wing-backs in Italian football.
Only Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku have bettered Tavares’ tally of eight assists in Serie A this term, hence Lazio’s decision to make his transfer permanent.
Whether the 25-year-old would stay at Stadio Olimpico remains questionable, considering Marco Baroni’s charges are contemplating an immediate sale to make instant profit.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will reap further benefits from Tavares’ potential exit after including a sell-on clause, which would entitle them to around 25 per cent from any future sale.
In addition to Tavares, the Gunners could offload five more players in the coming months to top up their transfer budget.
Let’s see who could leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Courted by Borussia Dortmund in January, Oleksandr Zinchenko could be among the first first-team stars to follow in Tavares’ footsteps.
His contract expires next summer, with Arsenal reluctant to offer him fresh terms after he failed to impress Arteta.
The 28-year-old has only made 14 Premier League appearances this season and may favour a summer exit to secure regular first-team football elsewhere.
Arsenal paid Manchester City around £32m to sign the Ukrainian star in 2022, but they can hardly expect to recoup their investment.
Kieran Tierney
When Kieran Tierney joined Arsenal in 2019, everyone thought he would be Ashley Cole’s successor.
However, recurring injury problems have derailed his career, making him a bit-part player in Arteta’s system.
Tierney even spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad as a last-ditch attempt to get his faltering career back on track.
After a miserable stint in San Sebastian, he couldn’t land a new deal in London and will leave Arsenal as a flop this summer.
His former club, Celtic, will sign him on a Bosman deal.
Jorginho
Jorginho is on the verge of waving goodbye to the Emirates.
Although Arteta forced the Italian midfielder’s stay last summer despite Napoli’s interest, the veteran has failed to repay that trust throughout the campaign.
Jorginho has been a marginal figure this season, making just nine Premier League starts without any goal contributions.
His time in London is nearing its end, with Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo bidding to take the 33-year-old across the Atlantic Ocean.
Leandro Trossard
Unlike all the aforementioned stars, Leandro Trossard has been among Arteta’s most trusted allies during Arsenal’s injury-riddled campaign.
The Belgian forward has featured in 36 league matches this term, tallying eight goals and seven assists.
Despite his decent exploits, Trossard could soon cut short his life in the Premier League to embrace the riches of Saudi Arabia.
Several Saudi Pro League clubs were hot on the 30-year-old’s trail last summer, yet Arsenal refused to negotiate his departure.
Things could change this year as Arteta aims to overhaul his squad after falling short of Premier League glory for a third season running.
Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey’s future has been a subject of intense discussions all season.
While Arteta reiterated his desire to continue with the ex-Atletico Madrid midfielder several times, the parties are still at loggerheads over a new deal.
Partey’s contract expires in June, and it feels like he’s closer to leaving Arsenal than pledging his loyalty to the club.
There’s no shortage of interest in the Ghanaian ace, who has numerous admirers across the continent, not to mention overseas.
