Nicolas Tagliafico in action for Argentina. (Getty Images)
Premier League club Newcastle United have made an enquiry for Ajax’s Argentine defender Nicolas Tagliafico, who had a terrific season in the Eredivisie. The Dutch club have slapped a price tag of around £8m, which might be too much for the Magpies to pay this summer.
Manager Rafa Benitez is an admirer of the left-back and has kept close tabs on the player for some time now. However, with Newcastle still in the market to buy a striker, a defender to replace injured Florian Lejeune and a No.10, there is less chance for the Spaniard to find funds to purchase Tagliafico.
Here’s everything you need to know about the player and why Benitez was so keen to get him to backup/replace Paul Dummett:
Tagliafico is a fantastic all-around defender who boasts of a nice blend of defensive sturdiness and an acute eye for incisive passing. He is physically well-built to win aerial duels, doing so at an average of 2.3 per game, and shrugs off attackers in the blink of an eye. The 25-year-old is an imperious passer of the ball, recording an average of 84.2% with a key pass rate of 1 per game.
Tagliafico doesn’t shy away from making tackles and he often steps up to intercept a particular attack at an average of 2 per game. Those are impressive numbers which epitomize his propensity to impact the game on both sides of the field.
The Argentine also likes to dribble past defenders to open up spaces for a pass or a cross. No wonder Benitez is interested in him and wanted to have him in his Newcastle squad. Tagliafico is the perfect example of a player who is always giving 100% on the pitch, which sometimes leads a bit of rashness but that’s all part of the game.
When Rafa Benitez is an admirer of a particular player, one should believe that he is a good asset to football. Tagliafico is exactly what the Spaniard wants from a defender – he is tenacious, sturdy and an accurate passer.
Read More: Who is this Bundesliga forward that Newcastle have agreed to sign? Everything you need to know
This will be a perfect move for Newcastle if they manage to pay what Ajax are asking, which looks like a tall order for now.
Stats Courtesy – Who Scored.com (Stats from the games he played for Ajax)
