Leicester City boss, Brendan Rodgers is closely monitoring the situation of Argentine left-back Nicolas Tagliafico as he smells the possibility of a summer departure of Ben Chilwell from the King Power Stadium with Chelsea and Manchester City both interested.
The Foxes have refused to put a price tag on Chilwell as they are desperate to keep hold of the England International as per Mirror. But offers from league giants like the Blues and the Citizens could be too good to refuse as seen previously in the case of important players like Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and Harry Maguire.
With Ben Chilwell apparently interested in a move to West London, Rodgers has been forced to think of alternatives to stay in contention for a Champions League spot next season. The target, Nicolas Tagliafico has two years remaining with his current employers, Ajax, and is currently valued at £22 million.
Nicolas Tagliafico: A good option for Rodgers?
With Chilwell’s departure looking like a possibility, Nicolas Tagliafico is one of the best options available to Rodgers at the moment. He has been a consistent starter for not only the Dutch outfit but also Argentina where he cemented his place in 2018, starting all the games in Russia.
At 27, Tagliafico is at the peak of his career and could help soften the blow of any possible Chilwell departure with his pedigree at the highest level.
In comparison to Chilwell, the Argentine is arguably even better in some attributes such as tackling and holding on to the ball which Rodgers will be a fan of given the progressive brand of football he intends to generalise at the King Power Stadium.
Tagliafico averages 2.9 tackles per game compared to Chilwell whose average statistic in the same department is just 1.6.
The Argentine has also managed 7 assists in all competitions for Ajax which is three more than what Chilwell has managed for the Foxes this season. As far as commitment is concerned, Tagliafico has faced no complaints in that department with the player known to give his 100% on the pitch every time he steps onto it.
His crossing is also decent if not at the same level as Chilwell while his passing is one of his stronger traits which will be useful in shifting the ball forward bringing the attackers into play.
The move for Tagliafico would be a well-thought one for Rodgers, who should not have a problem financially to get hold of the Argentine if Chilwell parts ways with the 2015-16 Premier League champions and will also provide him with a financial corridor in which to work for if he wants to improve on other areas of the pitch as well.
