Arsenal player 'open to departure' in January transfer window

An Arsenal player could be on the move in January - left-back Nuno Tavares, currently out on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, he could be set for a move to Marseille in Ligue 1 instead.

This is according to a report from French outlet L'Equipe, who mention that Les Olympiens are 'thinking' about the former Portugal U21s star. They have yet to table an offer as of yet, but he could provide an adequate solution to their problems at left-back.

He has spent time at Marseille previously, when he joined them on loan last season - during this stint, Tavares made 31 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring six goals along the way. He played an integral part in their respectable campaign which saw them finish third in the league table, behind Lens and eventual winners PSG.

His time at Marseille was much more fruitful than his stint at the City Ground. So far, Tavares has made just five appearances in all competitions for Forest, failing to score a single goal - he also hasn't notched up any assists. At this point, a clean break may be the best result for all parties - especially with the Trees looking to generate funds.

Should Arsenal allow Nuno Tavares to leave the club?

While Tavares has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, they are simply too inconsistent for him to carve out a regular place in Arsenal's first team. At the age of 23, he still has some developing to do, but it seems that they are not willing to wait for him to meet the required standard.

He is not the kind of full-back that Mikel Arteta generally likes to play. While the Spaniard is keen for his full-backs to push forward, Tavares is lacking in both defensive intelligence and physicality.