Arsenal at risk of losing out on MASSIVE profit after only inserting €5m purchase option for Serie A loan star who's now valued at €65m

According to Il Corriere dello Sport (per Football Italia), Arsenal risk losing out on a huge profit should Lazio decide to trigger the €5 million buy option this summer for Tavares, who is on a season-long loan from the Gunners.

While there is no guarantee that Lazio would be able to keep Tavares at the Stadio Olimpico long-term, activating the buy option could be key to securing control and discussing future plans with the player. In the worst-case scenario, the Biancocelesti could make a significant profit, with Tavares' value now estimated at £50-54 million (€60-65m). Arsenal signed Tavares from Benfica in 2021, with the defender making 28 appearances across all competitions before being loaned out to Marseille and Nottingham Forest in consecutive seasons.

Qualifying for the Champions League would boost Lazio’s chances of a permanent deal, which could be an enticing prospect for the 25-year-old, who has registered eight assists in Serie A this season. Should the move be made permanent, there is already an additional four-year agreement in place, which would see the Portuguese left-back remain at the Stadio Olimpico until 2029. Regardless, club owner Claudio Lotito is expected to maintain high demands, especially with Arsenal holding a 40% sell-on clause for the player.

Tavares will next be seen in action on Thursday night as Lazio take on Viktoria Plzen in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 away from home. In Serie A, the side from Rome are currently in fifth position, just two points behind fourth-placed Juventus. They will face Udinese in their next league outing on Monday with Tavares expected to start.