Nuno Tavares has come under recent scrutiny at Arsenal in the last few matches since coming in to replace the injured Kieran Tierney. The Portuguese youth international scored against Manchester United but has looked vulnerable defensively.
It is also the understanding of football.london that Arsenal have a genuine interest in Bologna’s 19-year-old Scottish left-back Aaron Hickey. The young player is highly rated and is versatile enough to play on both sides having a great ability with both feet.
Tavares’ first season has been up and down with a strong start in games against the likes of Leicester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle, but faced challenges in 2022. football.london spoke exclusively to Tavares’ former youth coach when he was at Benfica, Joao Tralhao.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta's 5 Arsenal transfer decisions leading to Nuno Tavares sale amid Aaron Hickey talk
Asking what he thinks of Tavares’ season thus far, Tralhao was very complimentary. Highlighting that it is in fact the defensive area of his game that is improving.
“I think he is doing what I expected him to. Of course, as we talked before, Nuno is with a big club in England, in the best league in the world. Of course, it is not an easy adaptation for any player, for any young player like Nuno is. But he's doing well, so I believe then the competition he has in the squad, with one of the best full-backs in the Premier League, of course, it helps him,” he said.
“On one hand, it helps for him to improve and to get better and better, but on the other hand of course he needs to [play] regularly. I believe, since the beginning when he went to Arsenal, because I know him well, that it was the right environment because I know very well Mikel [Arteta] is a top-class coach, a top-class person and he’s the best coach to help him to adapt to this new reality.”
Tavares had two incidents against both Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace where Mikel Arteta substituted him before the start of the second half. He did not start the following fixtures either. Tralhao however believes that Tavares would not have reacted badly and instead understood why Arteta made the decision.
“No, of course not. I think Mikel said it all, it was a tactical decision. The decision of the manager is the most important thing, to the player and to the team. I don’t believe he was hurt, but I think he understood because like Mikel said, it was a tactical decision.
“I think, it’s not the only case in the world of doing that, sometimes players do not like to be subbed on the half time or before the second half, but that’s life. They need to be prepared for that, so I don’t believe he was hurt. He doesn’t like it of course. If he liked to be subbed, he cannot be a top elite player like he is at Arsenal,” Tralhao explained.
Adding, “I think Mikel made the decision for the team, not thinking about Nuno or thinking about any player, he was thinking about the team and to improve the team. Nuno just needs to understand that and to keep going and to keep working.
“I think the best response to that was now he’s performing, he’s playing, and he never gave up. I know Nuno well and I know Nuno never likes to be subbed, even if he was subbed on the 90th minute, but that’s the football player's life."
Lastly, the links to Aaron Hickey are set to threaten Tavares’ place in the team. However, Tralhao believes that if his compatriot cannot contend with the pressures of speculation and the possibility of competition, through players arriving or leaving, he cannot play for Arsenal.
“I will not comment on speculation. It’s not my way to think or my way to be in football, but what I can say to you is I would say to Nuno and any other player who plays for a club like Arsenal, if they are not ready to deal with this situation, players coming in, players coming out, speculation etc. If they are not ready to deal with those situations, they cannot play for Arsenal of course,” explained Tralhao.
“He needs to be focused on helping the team now, to play the four games left to achieve their goals. I know Nuno well, and I know he is focused on this. He is not concerned about who’s coming in or who’s coming out or next season. He’s completely focused on the four games left to try and help Arsenal achieve their goals and for the future.”
He added: “If you focus on anything you cannot control, you will be lost. But if you focus on what you can control, like your performance, the tasks the coach gives to you and everything you need to do in training sessions and games etc you will be much more prepared and you will be much more safe and secure to do everything you should control.”
Tavares will be expected to start Arsenal’s next game against Leeds United and with Tierney out for the rest of the season, the 22-year-old will likely start all the remaining games. There is time to show Arteta that further recruitment at left-back is not necessary.
He can also elevate himself and his teammates to become Champions League players next season. As Tralhao said, he needs to focus on the parts of his career he can control and try to put in the absolute maximum level performances he is capable of.
