Chelsea 'eye £22.4m Nicolas Tagliafico deal'

Chelsea are reportedly hopeful of striking a £22.4m deal for Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico.

Blues manager Frank Lampard is supposedly keen to strengthen his options at left-back during the summer window, although the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic will affect transfer dealings for clubs across the globe.

Chelsea have previously been linked with a swoop for Leicester City's Ben Chilwell, but the England international's £40m valuation has supposedly led to Lampard withdrawing his interest in the defender.

According to The Telegraph, Tagliafico would be an ideal cut-price alternative for the Blues, who could snap up the Argentine for a fee of £22.4m.

Tagliafico's agent recently confirmed that the left-back would seek pastures new this summer, although Lampard has supposedly not yet decided on whether or not to make a move for the 27-year-old.

Tagliafico registered three goals and four assists during the 2019-20 Eredivisie campaign, and the Argentina international will see his current deal with the Dutch outfit expire in 2022.

Arsenal are also rumoured to be monitoring developments surrounding the left-back.