Chelsea alerted to defensive target’s cut-price £22.4m price tag ahead of possible summer swoop

According to the Telegraph (subscription required), Chelsea have been alerted to the fact that Ajax star Nicolas Tagliafico would be available in the next transfer window for £22.4m.

The Telegraph report that Frank Lampard is eyeing the addition of a left-back to his squad, which is unsurprising given the inconsistent form of Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso.

The report adds that Leicester and England star Ben Chilwell is an option, but the ace is valued at over £40m by the Foxes, making his Argentine counterpart a cheaper alternative.

The Telegraph add that Tagliafico’s price-tag resembles a ‘relatively low fee’ and that the 27-year-old is keen on a move to England.

The Blues could find negotiations simple with Ajax as the report states that the two clubs have a ‘strong’ relationship, the west London outfit recently pre-agreed a summer deal for Hakim Ziyech from the outfit.

The Mirror also report that Tagliafico will be allowed to leave the Dutch giants in the next transfer window as he pledged his loyalty to the club when he could’ve left last summer.

Tagliafico has continued to impress for the Dutch giants after playing a key role in the side that completed the domestic double and defied odds to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

The Argentina international has scored five goals and chipped in with seven assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.

Tagliafico could actually be an ideal replacement for someone like Marcos Alonso, he’s attack-minded like the Spaniard – but much more athletic, something that is becoming increasingly important for full-backs and generally for players in the Premier League.