Arsenal can bank major windfall from Arteta flop's transfer as club chief demands £58m

could finally benefit from their failed signing of Nuno Tavares with the left-back now blossoming in Italy. Lazio chief Claudio Lotito says he would struggle to sell Tavares for less than £58million.

Tavares struggled to win over Mikel Arteta after completing a £6.5m switch from Benfica in 2021. He spent two years on loan at Marseille and Nottingham Forest, before completing a similar move to Lazio in the summer.

The Serie A club have an obligation to buy the 24-year-old for around £8.5m at the end of the season. And they will have few regrets when the deal is made permanent as Tavares' form has been superb.

Seven assists in seven appearances have made Tavares one of Europe's primary creators. He set up two goals in Lazio's 3-0 victory over Genoa on Sunday.

Lotito said afterwards: "Already a capital gain? I won't sell him even for €70m (£58m). We have beaten off a lot of competition from the big clubs for the full-back."

Selling Tavares for such a figure would hugely benefit Arsenal, even if they only receive £8.5m for his permanent switch to Lazio. According to , the Gunners have a hefty sell-on clause, allowing them to receive a chunk of any fee Lazio receive from Tavares' future departure.

Lotito is a huge fan of Tavares and reminded Arsenal of their former star's qualities earlier this month. "We have built a new team with potential suited to today's football, be patient," the Italian told Il Messaggero.

"Ours is a real and strong group. We have many players called up by the national team, but I am convinced that all the new arrivals are also of a high level. But have you seen what technique [Taty] Castellanos has? And now he has also made his debut with Argentina.

"You always have to give the players time to settle in. Tavares is the same, have you seen what a player he is? And now you will also see [Samuel] Gigot."

Tavares played only 28 times for Arsenal in three years, spending most of that time on loan at Marseille and Forest. He was hauled off at half-time during defeats against Forest and Crystal Palace, seemingly losing the trust of Arteta.

Arsenal have since signed Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Riccardo Calafiori, who can all play at left-back.