Considering how well Nuno Espirito Santo’s team is performing this season, it’s almost hard to recall the struggles and relegation concerns that plagued Nottingham Forest last year.
Forest ultimately finished six points above Luton Town in 17th place, with their relegation battle turning out to be less contentious than expected.
This season, however, Forest are soaring in third place in the Premier League, despite the pressure from several clubs hot on their tail.
To strengthen his squad this season, Nuno knew the club needed an upgrade at left-back, which led to the loan signing of Alex Moreno from Aston Villa.
While Neco Williams has ultimately become the first-choice left-back, Forest now boasts more depth in the position.
Nuno Tavares Reveals His Unwanted Move to Nottingham Forest
Last season, Nuno brought in Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares on loan, but the move didn’t work out for either side.
Tavares made 12 appearances for Forest, totaling 696 minutes, but failed to do enough to convince the club to pursue a permanent deal.
Now at Lazio, Tavares has spoken about his time at Forest in an interview with CBS Sports. He admitted that the decision to join Forest wasn’t his own, and that he had to “accept” the move.
The £8m defender was eager to play regular football, something he wasn’t getting at Arsenal, but his time at Forest felt destined for failure from the start.
Reflecting on the loan, Tavares said, “Actually, it wasn’t my decision to go to Forest, I had to accept. I went there to play football because that’s what I want. Things didn’t go well, as I expected.”
Tavares Now Thriving at Lazio
Thankfully for Tavares, his fortunes have changed at Lazio, where he is performing brilliantly on loan, with an obligation-to-buy clause in place if certain conditions are met.
The Portugal international is now flourishing as a left wing-back, a position that suits his attacking style much more than the traditional left-back role he played at both Arsenal and Forest.
Tavares struggled to thrive as a conventional left-back in a back four at Arsenal, and that role continued at Forest.
His most memorable performance for Forest came during his Premier League debut against Chelsea in September 2023, a 2-0 win where he played as a left wing-back. However, Forest shifted to a back four in subsequent matches.
£8m player admits that it was not his decision to sign for Nottingham Forest, ‘he had to accept’
