CHELSEA face fresh competition from Atletico Madrid for Nicolas Tagliafico this summer.
The Argentina left-back is on the Blues’ shortlist as a back-up option in case top target Ben Chilwell proves too pricey.
Tagliafico, 27, has a verbal agreement with Ajax that he can leave for £24.5million this summer having accepted last year to stay another season.
Atletico were interested in the defender 12 months ago and are understood to be keen on signing him in the upcoming window.
But with the impact of the coronavirus biting, boss Diego Simeone is likely to have to sell before he can buy.
Chelsea chief Frank Lampard is desperate to bolster his left-back options when the transfer market opens.
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He is unconvinced by both Marcos Alonso and Emerson — who has been linked with a move back to Italy with Inter Milan.
Instead, Lamps has often played the right-footed Cesar Azpilicueta at left-back this term.
Tagliafico, who has 25 caps, helped Ajax to the top of the Eredivisie before the Dutch campaign was abandoned because of Covid-19.
But Chelsea face a fight for his signature from Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola has Oleksandr Zinchenko, Angelino and Benjamin Mendy on his books.
But the Etihad chief still sees the left-back spot as a position that needs work as he builds a squad capable of challenging both in the Premier League and Champions League.
