Tavares hits out at Arsenal for refusing to include buy option in Marseille loan deal

• Tavares joined Marseille on loan
• Unhappy with role at Arsenal
• Wants to stay in France

WHAT HAPPENED? The 22-year-old left-back moved to Marseille on a season-long loan in the summer transfer window. Tavares has now explained that he wants to join the Ligue 1 side on a permanent basis, but claims the Gunners refused to include a purchase option in his deal.

WHAT THEY SAID: "I came to Marseille to finally be able to play in my position. When signing with OM, I wanted to have an option to buy, but Arsenal refused," he told RMC Sport.

"Now I'm at OM, and with or without an option, I'm happy. At Arsenal, I would have probably only played in the cup. I came to Marseille to play in my position, in the Champions League, in the league and in the cup."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Tavares largely disappointed during his time at Arsenal and was offloaded with Mikel Arteta having Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney as his left-back options for the current campaign. However, Tavares has enjoyed a stellar start to life in Marseille, scoring three goals in his first six appearances, including a stunner on his debut against Reims.

STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:

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DID YOU KNOW? Nuno Tavares has become only the second defender, after Laurent Blanc, to score at least three goals in his first four Ligue 1 matches for Marseille in the last 75 seasons.

WHAT NEXT FOR MARSEILLE? Marseille play Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham next. The two sides meet in the group stages of the Champions League on Wednesday.