Report: Champions League club will listen to offers for 29-year-old player on Chelsea radar

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Ajax are reportedly willing to listen to transfer offers for Chelsea target Nicolas Tagliafico.

According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea’s board have held talks about the 29-year-old in recent weeks.

It is understood that Ajax, who are second in the Dutch league and in the Champions League last-16, are open to bids for their defender.

The report explains that Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea are now considering their options following the injury to Ben Chilwell, with the club confirming on Tuesday that the left wing-back will need knee surgery.

Chilwell’s prolonged absence leaves Marcos Alonso as the only natural option at left wing-back, albeit some other members of the group can do a part-time job there.

Ajax left-footer Tagliafico is on paper someone that’s a perfect temporary Chilwell replacement.

The Argentine full-back has been brilliant for the Amsterdam giants for several years, but he’s enduring a difficult campaign where he’s fallen out of the best XI.

He’s had 34 goal contributions (14 goals, 20 assists) in 152 career Ajax appearances and is very useful going forward. However, it could be a big step trying to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League if he ended up moving to Stamford Bridge midway through a season.

Chelsea need to sign LWB immediately

Chelsea need to provide Tuchel with a new left wing-back as early into the January transfer window as possible.

The German manager has a difficult job juggling players right now amid a busy fixture schedule and his life will be a lot easier with another option to compete with Alonso.

Everton’s defender Lucas Digne is someone who’s been linked today with Chelsea.

Tagliafico has huge experience in Europe with Ajax, along with when representing his country Argentina, but adapting to the Premier League quickly for the second half of the season would have to be a concern.

In contrast, Digne is a ready-made product that’s thrived in English football before.

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