Paulo Tavares

Vitória Setúbal Tavares then returned to the Primeira Liga to sign with Vitória Setúbal in July 2012, now coached by José Mota. He scored twice in 32 games in the 2012–13 season, helping the club to finish two points above the relegation zone. He then scored five goals (including four penalties) in 18 games in 2013–14 as Vitória posted a seventh-place finish, though he missed four months of the season with a fractured toe. He signed a new two-year contract in April 2014. He scored twice in 32 matches in the 2014–15 campaign as Vitória finished in 14th place, and he featured 22 times in the 2015–16 season as the club finished just one point above the relegation zone. He was offered a new two-year contract by new manager José Couceiro in May 2016. However, he decided to reject the offer and look for a new club.

Port Vale Tavares signed a two-year contract with EFL League One club Port Vale in July 2016, in a move that reunited him with former Vitória manager Bruno Ribeiro. He started the first five league games of the 2016–17 season, before picking up a hamstring injury at the end of August. He quickly returned to the first-team, and along with Kjell Knops was only one of two of the club's 11 overseas signings to secure a regular place in the starting eleven. However, Ribeiro resigned on Boxing day, and Tavares found his first-team chances very limited under caretaker manager Michael Brown so instead used his time to help coach the under-9 and under-10 teams. Tavares left Vale Park after agreeing to a settlement on the remainder of his contract in May 2017.

Later career On 12 August 2017, Tavares returned to Portugal and signed with newly-promoted LigaPro club Cova da Piedade. He played 16 games for the "Rapazes de Azul-Grená" over the 2017–18 season, and was sent off on his final appearance for the club on 11 February, in a 1–0 defeat to Vitória S.C. B at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques.

In February 2018, Tavares signed with Vietnamese V.League 1 club Hồ Chí Minh City. He returned to Portugal and in June 2019 signed with Campeonato de Portugal side Lusitânia. He had an eventful home debut on 12 October, getting sent off for a second yellow card moments after scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Leça. Lusitânia were second in Serie B when the 2019–20 season was curtailed early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. He played 23 games in the 2020–21 season, helping Lusitânia to win promotion into Liga 3.

Cova da Piedade

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