Chelsea, Manchester City interested in Ajax left back Nicolas Tagliafico — report

After Ben Chilwell, Alex Telles and Marc Cucurella, the latest to join Chelsea’s left back shortlist may be Nicolas Tagliafico who currently plies his trade for Ajax Amsterdam in the Eredivisie. Tagliafico joined Ajax from Argentinian club, Independiente in January 2018, and according to journalist Lucas Scagliola, who covers the club, the 27 year-old could be on the move again.

Apparently, both Chelsea and Manchester City are vying for the left back’s signature. While Chelsea’s need to upgrade the LB is widely known, City have been frustrated with Ben Mendy’s form and incessant injuries.

While Tagliafico’s attacking numbers are decent at best, with 6 goals and 10 assists in 68 Eredivisie games till date, his defensive output is solid. In fact, he’s mostly known for his defensive nous. He averages 2.5 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, and 0.3 blocks per game this season, which compares favorably to both Marcos Alonso (1.8, 1.3, 0.1, respectively) and Emerson (1.6, 1.3, 0.1).

As per the tweet, Independiente had inserted a sell-on clause of 15% when they sold him, so it’s logical to assume that Ajax will keep their asking price high to maximize their net gain from the transfer.