Arsenal miss out on crucial transfer windfall as Mikel Arteta handed headache

Arsenal will miss out on a possible £12million transfer windfall from Nottingham Forest after they confirmed Nuno Tavares will return to the Gunners this summer.

Tavares, 24, spent the 2023/24 season on loan at the City Ground losing his place in Mikel Arteta's team. After spending the previous season on loan at Marseille, the left-back looked to revive his career with Forest.

He managed just 12 appearances in all competitions, eight coming in the Premier League. Having started three times in the early stages of Nuno Espirito Santo's time at the club, Tavares appeared for just one minute in the final 12 league games with Ola Aina and Harry Toffolo preferred.

Last summer, Forest paid a loan fee of around £1.2m and had the option to make the move permanent for £12m. However, the former Benfica star will return to the Emirates Stadium.

On Tuesday, Forest confirmed that Tavares was one of five loan players returning to their parent clubs. It remains to be seen what his future at Arsenal looks like having struggled to impress since his 2021 move.

It's expected that he will be one of the many players put up for sale this summer. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu have all performed well at left-back this season with Jurrien Timber an option after returning from injury.

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Arsenal are likely to look to sell players in the summer to raise funds to improve Arteta's side. Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah are two likely stars to depart but the £12m windfall received from a permanent move to Forest for Tavares would have done that.

The left-back's future will now be assessed over the next few months with a permanent exit expected to occur if the right offer is made.