Last season was a contrasting campaign for Nuno Tavares, with the left-back having to fill in regularly for the injured Kieran Tierney and making 28 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal.
His attacking qualities were widely praised while at the Emirates, but his defensive frailties led to him being substituted twice at half-time during matches, most notably during January's FA Cup defeat at the hands of then Championship side Nottingham Forest.
However, the player was supported by Arteta, who has sent the 22-year-old out on loan to Marseille this season rather than seeking a permanent deal once it is finished.
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With Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the books it was unlikely that Tavares would be able to secure enough game time at a key stage of a player's development. His return to former club, Marseille has been a positive one so far, with his performances helping them to joint-top of the Ligue 1 table alongside PSG after seven matches played.
Manager Igor Tudor has praised the full-back's qualities as part of a collective effort, which also saw the club return to the Champions League group stages. Last week they put in a creditable performance against Tottenham, with Matteo Guendouzi also part of a side which is defying expectations.
Former Juventus player Tudor was a left-field choice as manager, with his last two jobs being with Hellas Verona and Hajduk Split but his impact has been impressive, as has Tavares, who has three league goals in seven appearances.
Tudor explained how Tavares does not know how good he is and praised his impact, saying: "He sometimes doesn't even realise his qualities.
"It is so hard to follow him when he accelerates. If he continues at this pace, he risks tormenting more than one Ligue 1 defence."
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