'Stratospheric': Player Arsenal agreed to sell for just £7.5m now officially Europe's best

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Arsenal’s 4-2 victory over Leicester City on a dramatic Saturday afternoon once again highlighted the rather unique nature of Mikel Arteta’s

While Jurrien Timber combined with Bukayo Saka effectively throughout – setting up Gabriel Martinelli’s opener with a driven cross into the penalty area – it was the role played by Riccardo Calafiori on the opposite flank that will have had the tacticos drooling.

Signed as a centre-half but utilised as an inverted left-back drifting into midfield, Calafiori is already starting to feel like two or even three signings rolled into one for The Gunners.

After scoring a stunning goal in last week’s draw at Manchester City – Calafiori fired Arsenal level with a strike Pep Guardiola called ‘exceptional’ – the £33 million addition from Bologna proved against Leicester that he has not only the technical but also the tactical qualities to thrive in Arteta’s ever-morphing system.

Speaking of full-backs, meanwhile, one Arsenal let go in the summer transfer window is enjoying a pretty impressive run of his own.

Nuno Tavares shining at Lazio after Arsenal exit as he assists again

Believe it or not, the full-back with the most assists in Europe’s major leagues right now is not Trent Alexander-Arnold. It is not Andy Robertson, Kyle Walker or any of the continent’s other luminaries.

It is, in fact, Nuno Tavares.

The Arsenal misfit who spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and joined Lazio in the summer in a deal that could cost just £7.5 million.

Now, Tavares is no stranger to a flying start. He exploded out of the blocks during that spell at Marseille in 2022/23 after all, only for his tires to deflate after hitting a few potholes soon after.

But as Tavares took his tally to four assists in four Serie A outings during Lazio’s 3-2 win at Hellas Verona on Saturday, it is tempting to wonder if the penny has finally dropped for the former Portugal youth star.

Former Arsenal team-mate Matteo Guendouzi was delighted to be reunited with Tavares in Rome. Even more so now, after the former set up the latter inside eight minutes with the sort of well-placed cross that is quickly becoming Tavares’ Lazio trademark.

There are still a few issues to work on, of course. Tavares, always more adept at going forward than he is defending, still found himself out of position for a few Hellas Verona raids.

But at just £7.5 million – and averaging a Europe-best tally of assists – Tavares’ remarkable impact at Lazio exceeds even Calafiori’s at Arsenal.

“Tavares is stratospheric,” Roberto Rambaudi, the former Lazio and Italy midfielder, tells Radio Sei. “He has physical and technical strength.

“In Lazio’s half of the pitch, however, he needs to do better. On a couple of occasions we risked counter-attacks.”

Taveres leads Europe in assists as he reunites with Guendouzi

Still only 24, Tavares has plenty of time on his side as he looks to blossom into a more complete, well-rounded full-back. The man himself, meanwhile, insists that the praise should not only go to him but to the teammates putting away the chances he creates.

"Four assists in the first four Serie A games? I'm happy because I can give a contribution to my teammates,” Tavares tells reporters. “The credit goes to the team that puts me in the right conditions.

“It was important to win, I'm happy for this reason.”

Lazio are up to tenth place now, just three points adrift of Serie A leaders Napoli.

The Arsenal loanee is striking up a fearsome understanding with Azzurri international Mattia Zaccagni too. The Biancocelesi star believes that Tavares can become a ‘devastating’ talent in Italy.

And, after falling out of favour under Arteta, Tavares finally has a coach who is happy to take the rough with the smooth.

"Tavares is a boy who has great potential. It is no coincidence that he was an Arsenal player," Baroni told a press conference in September. "Beyond this, he is a boy for whom we now have to create a path.

"He is a boy who has great potential. I am convinced that we will create the right fabric and structure for him to give his best and emerge, because he has incredible potential."