Nicolas Tagliafico insists he’s happy at Ajax amid speculation linking him with a move to Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
Unai Emery has identified the 26-year-old Ajax left-back as a possible long-term replacement for Nacho Monreal, 33, with the Spaniard nearing the end of his contract at Arsenal.
Reports suggest the Gunners are ‘best positioned’ to sign Tagliafico as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona also line up summer offers for the Argentina international.
It’s claimed Ajax are demanding a fee of around €20million (£17m) for the highly-rated full-back.
Asked about being linked to Arsenal, Real Madrid, Atleti and Barca, Tagliafico told El Mundo Deportivo: ‘I am enjoying life and football. We are privileged as footballers.
‘Our work is something fascinating and something we love to do. I enjoy playing for the national team and my club. I can’t think of what’s coming, that’s disrespectful to my club.’
On Barcelona’s interest, the defender replied: ‘It’s great that they talk about me, because that means things are going well. ‘But I can only focus on the present. Friday we [Argentina] have to beat Venezuela and that’s what counts.’
Tagliafico played every minute of Ajax’s stunning victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League and insists the side will go into their quarter-final against Juventus with the same positive mindset.
‘You know how you play. If you go on the field, you know what you have to do and how the team is going to play,’ he said. ‘Sometimes it goes well and sometimes it doesn’t, but we have clear ideas.