Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso has praised Arsenal's left-back Nuno Tavares, stating that the Portuguese international has "everything it takes" to be playing for Real Madrid. Tavares was signed by Arsenal from Benfica for £8 million in 2021, but he struggled to make an impact during his first season at the Emirates under manager Mikel Arteta. As a result, he was loaned to Ligue 1 side Marseille the following summer. Tavares had two separate loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Lazio before Lazio signed him permanently from Arsenal 12 months ago. Last season, he made 28 appearances in all competitions for Lazio, as the club finished ninth in the Serie A table. That season also saw the departure of manager Maurizio Sarri, who left by mutual consent. Gattuso, who took over from Sarri, has started the new season strongly, with Lazio winning three and drawing one of their first four league matches to claim top spot in Italy. Tavares has started all but one of those matches, and Gattuso has expressed high regard for the Portuguese international. "I've always said that Tavares is worthy of Real Madrid," Gattuso told DAZN. "I feel like someone who lost his parents young, received a big inheritance, and in five years it went up in smoke. This is a player who ought to be at Real Madrid. He’s got everything it takes, he has pace, right foot, left foot." Gattuso described Tavares as a "unique talent" and suggested he could have been a star for Real Madrid over the last decade. "He is unusual and after a match he needs his time to recover, but he’s a good lad," he added. "You need to get into his head and make him understand. He knows he has talent and could've had 10-12 years at Real Madrid with his qualities. You've just got to get him to understand." Tavares is expected to maintain his place in Gattuso's starting XI when Lazio return to action away to Serie A newcomers Venezia this weekend.