Leicester City looking to replace Ben Chilwell with Nicolás Tagliafico — report

With Chelsea pushing hard for Ben Chilwell in recent weeks and the player himself apparently open to a move to Stamford Bridge, it’s only logical that Leicester City would start looking for a replacement. The Foxes have lofty ambitions of their own, and with their probable qualification for next season’s Champions League, they will look to reinvest the acquired funds should Chilwell depart.

Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney has been rumored as a possible target, but prising him from the Gunners is likely to be complex and difficult. And so, the Foxes have looked at other names as well, with Nicolás Tagliafico one possible target. According to the Mirror, Leicester City are monitoring the Ajax left back’s situation.

It’s worth noting that Tagliafico has also been rumored to be a low-cost alternative for Chelsea to the more exorbitantly priced Chilwell, while Manchester City are also seemingly keen on the 27-year-old’s services. Tagliafico’s performances for Ajax in recent seasons have not gone unnoticed, with the left-back contributing 5 goals and 7 assists in 38 games this season. His asking price has been reported to be a lowly €25m, which makes his signing all the more appealing.

Of course, any approach by Leicester City will be dependent on Chilwell’s departure, which will in turn be dependent on Chelsea or anybody else’s willingness to pay the £60m asking price. The Foxes have sold their star players for massive fees in recent years — Harry Maguire (£80m), Riyad Mahrez (£60m) and even Danny Drinkwater (£40m — and they are surely keen on continuing that trend.

The COVID-19 pandemic has slashed asking prices all over the world, which could affect Chilwell’s valuation as well. But even if Chelsea can negotiate the fee down, it might be more viable for the Blues to make the move for Tagliafico instead — especially if we continue to spend big on attacking reinforcements.