Tavares spent the previous campaign on loan with Nottingham Forest where he made only 12 appearances in all competitions under two managers.

The Portuguese is now expected to make the switch to Serie A with Lazio finalising a loan deal for him with an obligation to buy for £6m.

Speaking to reporters, Lazio's sporting director Angelo Mariano Fabiani said: "Lazio are strongly interested, and an agreement between the clubs was reached yesterday."

"After that, we must find an agreement with the player and his agents. I am more than confident. For superstitious reasons, I won't say he's already a Lazio player, but there are high chances."

Tavares has struggled to adapt to the higher intensity of the Premier League and he has also been prone to making defensive errors on occasions.

However, the 24-year-old could fare much better in Serie A where the games are less intense and more tactical. He has the physical attributes.

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