Manchester United call to ask conditions for ex-Ajax defender who Erik ten Hag referred to as a 'great character' - Reports
Manchester United have enquired about the possibility of signing Olympique Lyon defender Nicolas Tagliafico, who worked with Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
United have entered the market for an emergency left-back after Luke Shaw joined Tyrell Malacia on the treatment table with a muscle injury. Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, Tottenham Hotspur's Sergio Reguilon and Barcelona's Marcos Alonso are said to be under consideration.
Tagliafico, 30, has now emerged as another option for the Premier League heavyweights. The Red Devils have already made calls to check the possibility of bringing the Argentina international to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes on Friday (September 1).
It's easy to see why Tagliafico is on United's shortlist, as the left-back worked with manager Ten Hag at Ajax. Ten Hag was in charge of the Eredivisie giants during the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner's stint at Ajax between January 2018 and last summer.
Tagliafico made 169 appearances across competitions under Ten Hag at Ajax, the most he has played under any manager. He bagged 16 goals and 23 assists, helping the Amsterdam-based club win three league titles and two Dutch Cups.
The Manchester United boss rates Tagliafico highly and said about the left-back when the former left Ajax last year (h/t United In Focus):
"A great character, who actually never whines. Of course, he was dissatisfied when he didn’t play but always gave one hundred percent in training. When he had to, he was there, and that’s important."
"I think he’s such a great person, who has a lot of great angles. So, as a person, he is completely okay, but also as a football player, he has made a great contribution."
It now remains to be seen if Manchester United step up their interest in the former Ajax defender.
Manchester United target Nicolas Tagliafico is a regular for Lyon
Nicolas Tagliafico ended his four-and-a-half-year association with Ajax last summer. He swapped the Dutch giants for Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyon in a deal worth €4.2 million. The left-back is contracted to the French top-flight club till the next season.
The Argentinian played 38 games across competitions for Lyon in his first season in France. He helped them keep nine clean sheets and also contributed towards six goals. The defender has started in their three league games this term and also netted in their opener.
Tagliafico was also part of the Argentina squad that won the World Cup in Qatar in December. The Manchester United-linked full-back featured in all but one of their seven games.