As Arsenal look set to bring in Oleksandr Zinchenko from Man City, Pep Guardiola’s sights have turned to his compatriot Marc Cucurella as a replacement.
The 23 year old came through the ranks at Barcelona, before spells at Eibar and Getafe saw him join the Seagulls in 2021, and after an impressive campaign last season in particular, he could link up with a former Barcelona boss in Manchester.
If that deal goes through, it leaves Graham Potter’s side looking for left-sided cover themselves, and according to O Jogo in Portugal, they’ve got their eye on Nuno Tavares.
The Portuguese made 28 appearances in all competitions last season, but had some difficult moments, particularly with the defensive side of his game. It has been suggested Arsenal would be open to his departure, but only if another left-back came in, and Zinchenko can certainly fill that role leaving the door open for Tavares to go.
The piece mentions that this would be a season long loan, which makes some sense. If he does well, Arsenal can reassess their plans for him, or even use that to generate revenue from a sale.
Brighton often play with wing-backs, a position to which Nuno seems better suited than as an out and out full-back, so let’s see what happens here.
One to keep an eye on.
I can envisage a senario where Xhaka moves on next summer, Zinchenko moves predominately into Xhaka’s role. Tavares comes back after a season at Brighton and deputises Tierney.
That’s probably the best case outcome. Brighton loan looks like the ideal place for Tavares also, competitive premier league team, working with another decent manager.
Ooh, would love to see that. Potter is an excellent coach and I think it would be pretty guaranteed that he’ll come back a better player.
Think with Zinchenko and KT we‘re good at LB for this season so I’d loan him out for sure and Brighton would be one of the very best addresses in that regard.
Yep seems like the perfect development op for Nuno, fingers crossed Brighton are genuinely interested. He does seem like a kid who’s rough edges are coachable and the upside going forward is there for all to see.
In terms of his style he’s a bit like Lamptey in big. But them two on the wings can surely create loads of chaos. Sometimes maybe good chaos, sometimes maybe sh*t chaos.
So channel Gatuso
Definitely. I was kinda relieved when Spu*s didn’t go for Potter to replace Nuno (Espirito). Anotnio Cunty dont last anywhere more than 2 or 3 seasons.
Our Nuno will definitely develop under Potter. No doubt. He’s a massive talent! A perfect loan in my opinion.
Brighton do want to stay up, don’t they………? 😂
Downvoters – just for you.
https://youtu.be/Q-R6jru0Kt8
Fill your boots…..
He’s shite. Get rid. No shame in taking a punt and getting it wrong occasionally.
Would love this. I want Graham Potters touch on his seemingly immature psyche
Crikey, the accolades for Potter have really taken on new levels. Not only is he an excellent coach, but he also has Freudian powers to whisper to the subconscious! Graham Potter, id whisperer.
Nuno Whisperer
I wrote a highly precise human nature book which you’ll find out about sooner or later (or just click my name here to go to the link) and Graham is in the same quadrant as Klopp, Wenger, Tuchel. They are not Ronaldo, Mourinho, Martinelli who are immediately direct and self driven folks. Recall Klopp saying he had third division legs and first division brains as a footballer? Might take longer but a matured form of them can whisper alright. Trying not to self promote too much. Cheers
This works! I would hope that they’d play him, but I’m sure they’re waiting on Cucurella to city (squeeze as much as they can from them £50-60m), then get Tavares in with option to buy? If that was their angle, and if he performed I’d say we should slap £20m on him.
From what I’ve heard, Arsenal have been reluctant to agree to any options. Straight loan is what they’re looking for. They want the player back next season.
It’s interesting, he’s someone that definitely divides opinion and we all aren’t sure on whether he’s in Arteta’s plans. After the forest game and Brighton where Xhaka was played LB we thought for sure that he was done, but then was played against man utd and chelsea where we won because of the chaos. I’m interested to see if arteta likes the chaos factor and has hope to harness this as a hail mary substitution tactic in the long-term (especially with 5 subs rule). The zinchenko signing doesn’t kill him either because we know he can play midfield too (same… Read more »
‘but then was played against man utd and chelsea where we won because of the chaos’.
I genuinely think this is kne kf the maddest comments I have ever heard on here.(and there is insane competition !) The poor lad was beyond shocking v Man Utd. We won DESPITE the chaos he caused, not because of it.
Say what you will, it was a throw of the dice and it worked out. He had bad moments, of course, no one is under any illusion about that but he had good moments too, hence the word chaos. I seem to remember him scoring in that game, as well as giving away a penalty. You don’t get to discredit someone for their shortcomings and take their credit on behalf of the team by saying we won despite their contributions. It doesn’t work like that. The word chaos is used because of what he brings in terms of both positive… Read more »
Yes, it does work like that actually. I thought he had a truly terrible, terrible game. If he wasn’t there, I think we would have won the game far more comfortably. That’s my opinion & any look back at the game would support that. The word ‘chaos’ has now become such an awful cliche on here for people trying to talk him up. His ‘positive offensive play’ is totally exaggerated: his passing, crossing & shooting are all well below average. And his decision making in the final third is awful. He does one thing brilliantly in an attacking sense :… Read more »
That’s your opinion. I believe even blogs at the time wrote about his chaos factor, and for better or worse it contributed to the outcome of the results of those games. That’s the problem I find actually, is that people too easily do what you just did and discredit by mentioning the bad stuff and forgetting the good stuff, I think your opinion of Tavares has clouded your judgement on what he actually is, and that is a work in progress with some positive aspects you can’t coach. I did mention for example that he scored in that game, and… Read more »
He scored a goal. He also was very poor for their goal, gave away a penalty, was very poor for their disallowed goal, was very poor for their chance that hit the post & could/should have been sent off having got a yellow & been let away with another one by truly terrible refereeing. (for what would have been a free for them in a very dangerous position) But yeah, that all evens out in your opinion. ‘A work in progress with some positive aspects you can’t coach’ – you could say that about literally every young player thouhh couldn’t… Read more »
It’s the chaos factor, I’ve already mentioned the negative aspects of his game that day earlier so you really didn’t need to because it doesn’t help your point. He’s 22 years old, and you want to speak about him as though he is finished but it’s not your call unfortunately. He could go on loan, really develop his game and come back a beast that knows how to tackle and defend as well as enhance his attacking play, you’d feel pretty silly if that was the case wouldn’t you? Truth is you don’t know for certain, but you find it… Read more »
Can you say….William Saliba? This is now an economic and now … well accepted methodology of more affordably developing a “quiver” of developing talent. A professional and well planned strategy involving ownership and management ala Arteta. I love watching to see how the club and these young players navigate this process. Is fun to see us develop and sell an all inclusive club experience focused on winning to these young talents….BY…developing brilliant young professionals with respect and a fierce competitive spirit. That is Arsenal to me today… “ A developer of young professionals who have a fierce desire to be… Read more »
Hear Hear! A voice for the gifted yet young and undetermined … yet likely amazing young man and human!
Thanks for saving me the keystrokes.
I never understood why people thought that a 22 year old player in his first season in English football is “done” after a couple of bad games to be honest. Had loads of good games before that. So good that he kept KT on the bench for a few weeks. And had good games after the Forest game as well. But I guess that’s how football works nowadays. One good game, you’re the messiah, one bad game, you’re completely useless.
He did not have loads of good games. And he didn’t have a couple of bad games – he had far more than a couple and they weren’t just ‘bad’, they were ‘how on earth did this guy end up at this level’ games. There’s a huge difference. Maybe people loving a shiny new player and drooling at his first decent performances, ignoring his obvious flaws & wanting to keep him in the team ahead of a clearer stronger player (who hadn’t reached his top levels at the start of the season) is ‘how football works nowadays’ ? @Scwibble –… Read more »
You’re too emotional. Let me say it again, he is not the finished article. But he can certainly develop and contribute to the team in some capacity. 22yo.
I really shouldn’t have to give you a list of players who it took a season or two to turn into stars/good players for us, but according to you we should sell them asap.
Too emotional 😀
Emotional
Completely agree with you Swribble. It seems this P.D has a short memory and an even shorter fuse. Can he think of any other fullbacks in their first full season as a pro that have come from abroad to the Premier League and even started a game? It’s one of the most challenging positions on the pitch and it’s a fucking miracle Nuno has been able to contribute at all. As steep a learning curve as you can get and you slate the kid like he’s been a complete waste of time. Listen here, bro. Nuno is twice the player… Read more »
Angry poster vents his anger at previous poster, calling previous poster out for being angry, even though previous poster is clearly less angry than angry poster himself. Great stuff, you couldn’t make it up !
Idk man, you sound pretty angry to me.
Read back through it man, I really don’t. You could easily argue you sound angrier than me & there is zero question that myrtle does. (but hey he agrees with you, so no way you will acknowledge that)
Anyway, enjoy your day. Obviously not going to agree. Over and out.
I can’t convey tone over text, but I’m not the one that’s trying to make a case against a player in his debut season at 22yo who has shown promise. If you read through it also, you’d see I acknowledged he is a work in progress, that’s just taking a balanced view. Frustrated don.
There’s definitely a player there he just needs time and the environment to flourish
Brighton seems a really good fit. Potter is a decent coach and they play some good football.
Perhaps they could also purchase Maitland-Niles to replace Bissouma.
The O Jogo article mentions Marseille are still interested in Tavares. That’s another good option as he would be playing Champions League football.
I think we’ll be seeing Tierney move into a LCB role as cover for Gabriel at times this year with Zinchenko moving into that LB spot. Might even help with Tierney’s injury record to be in a more constant area of the pitch. If that’s the case, I could see Tavares sticking around to cover Zinchenko.
No I don’t think so.
he needs playing time to develop, and he’ll make mistakes while it happens- so better to have those mistakes happen when he’s in a brighton shirt (although chelsea need a left back)
How much did we pay for Benjamin White again?
If Potter is interested in him then I am sure there is a good likelihood he is willing to invest the necessary time, coaching and tactical setup which will improve him.
Potters penchant for massive overloads from one side to another should both protect Tavares and also give opportunities for a switch of play to let him run rampant.
We could see a physical monster appear in the PL next season!
sad
Cucurella is in a class of his own. Nuno Tavares would come good- he’s just a diamond in the rough.