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Arsenal’s attempts to sign Nicolas Tagliafico must go through Highbury hero Marc Overmars

Mathew Nash

Wed 27 May 2020 9:15, UK

Arsenal are reportedly keen on a deal to sign Nicolas Tagliafico this summer. According to a the Gunners are keen on a deal for the Argentine left-back and could make a £20 million move for the Ajax star. 

The plan is to sign Tagliafico, allowing the club to implement Bukayo Saka further forward. Kieran Tierney, signed from Celtic last summer, has struggled to find his fitness at The Emirates whilst Sead Kolasinac has fallen down the pecking order. 

Of course, this is not the first time that Arsenal have been linked with a move for the player. Last summer they were also being linked with a move for the player. 

In signing the player, Arsenal would need to do business with Marc Overmars, a former Highbury hero.

‘The Flying Dutchman’ spent three years at the club under Arsene Wenger before heading to Barcelona in 2000. 

He is now the director of football at Ajax and last summer made it clear that Tagliafico was not for sale,

“We want to keep Nico Tagliafico and David Neres here.

“If you start reading the news on sports site every time, you will continue to give your question and answer.

“In the end, we provide the answer ourselves, because of the course we are working with Nico to keep him here for another year. Let’s see that in the coming weeks.”

Indeed, that was last summer. Overmars, , also pulled the plug on a deal for Tagliafico to join Atletico Madrid. 

The reason was clear. Ajax had already lost Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt that summer to Barcelona and Juventus respectively. Overmars was not prepared to let Tagliafico go as well. 

However, it was also made clear that it was only temporary. The plan was to sell the Argentine star this summer and now Arsenal will be hoping to find their former winger in far more accommodating spirits to any potential transfer approach.