Arsenal’s £8m defender ‘undergoing medical’ with transfer deal expected today

Arsenal look like they are closing in on their latest departure of the summer transfer window, with Nuno Tavares on the move.

According to La Provence, the defender is currently undergoing a medical in Marseille ahead of a loan switch to the French Club - with the deal expected to be completed before the weekend.

Tavares had been heavily been linked with a move away from the Gunners after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s arrival see him fall further down the pecking order.

While he was previously rumoured to be attracting interest from Italy, it is Ligue 1 where he will ply his trade in the upcoming season.

The 22-year-old only joined Arsenal for £8 million last summer but has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and could benefit from more his first team football elsewhere.

Tavares is one of three players from the North London club that could potentially join Marseille this summer, with the Phocaeans optimistic that they can re-sign William Saliba following last season’s loan spell.

However, Mikel Arteta is eager to keep the Frenchman at the Emirates Stadium as he is very much part of his plans.

Meanwhile, Matteo Guendouzi has already signed for the French club after they activated the option-to-buy clause in his loan deal at the end of last season.

Tavares will join the midfielder, as well as Konstantinos Mavropanos, Alexandre Lacazette and Auston Trusty as Arsenal’s few departures so far.