Atlético Madrid join Chelsea in race for Nicolás Tagliafico — report

According to Goal, Chelsea have further competition for Nicolás Tagliafico’s signature in the form of Atlético Madrid, who do have Renan Lodi at the left back position, but want to add another player for depth.

Tagliafico’s defense-first style makes him an ideal fit for Diego Simeone, and Atlético have apparently already established contact with Ajax. However, Los Rojiblancos have financial problems that have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are therefore seeking creative solutions to make this transfer happen.

This does place Chelsea at an advantage, since the Blues are in a strong position heading into the upcoming transfer window and should be able to easily broker a deal with Ajax for the Argentina international whose current asking price is €26 million.

Chelsea’s preferred option to strengthen the left back position is still Ben Chilwell, but given his asking price and Leicester City’s reluctance to sell, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Blues make a concerted effort for Tagliafico instead. As for Atlético, maybe they can make an effort to sign their long-term target, Marcos Alonso in some kind of creative deal instead?

Win-win for all parties involved!