Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Nicolas Tagliafico, it has been claimed.
According to The Sun(via Metro), the Lilywhites are ready to challenge arch-rivals Arsenal in the pursuit of the Argentine international.
Tagliafico has emerged as a key defender for Ajax after joining the Dutch club at the start of last year. And it is believed that the former Independiente star could cost around £15 million as he hopes for a move away from Amsterdam in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Nicolas Tagliafico: A wise choice by Pochettino
Tottenham can be proud of the way their defence has played over the past couple of season despite minimal investment compared to the other top teams in the league. But there has been a dip in the consistency, especially in the fullback department, where players like Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies have not been at their best this season. They have been defensively suspect at times while not quite wielding the same influence in the final third which Pochettino’s set-up requires and thrives on.
Davies, in particular, has struggled to live up to the expectation after a promising campaign last term, which has allowed Danny Rose to compete for a place in the starting eleven. But, even the England international has lacked consistency in his game, thus accentuating the need for a new left-back, who can solidity Spurs’ defensive line next season.
Tagliafico, in that regard, could be an ideal choice as the Argentine international is equipped with all the qualities that could make him a tailor-made fit for Pochettino’s tactical philosophy at Tottenham.
For one, the 26-year-old is a technically astute fullback, who can rotate possession at a quick rate. He can also link-up with his teammates and form passing triangles in wider areas of the field, which can be highly useful in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.
However, the Ajax defender is mostly known for his productivity in the creative department as he has averaged an impressive 1.4 key passes per game. He can either whip crosses into the box or cut-inside and find passing options, making him an upgrade over Spurs’ current duo of Rose and Davies.
On the flip side, Tagliafico definitely needs to improve on his defensive capabilities as the 26-year-old often gets caught out of position. But, what he lacks in positioning, he makes up for it with his impressive tackling as the defender attains an excellent tackle success rate of 67%.
After failing to sign a single player in the last two transfer windows, Tottenham will definitely have the cash to burn in the coming summer and given his overall qualities as a fullback, Tagliafico should be one of their top targets as they look to push for the title next season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
