Nicolás Tagliafico thinks he has become a crowd favorite in the Johan Cruijff ArenA by playing ‘with passion for Ajax’. The 29-year-old left back has had four great seasons in Amsterdam, but really wants to say goodbye to Ajax next summer. “But I don’t know how the market is developing, so I can see it. I’m calm,” Tagliafico said. The Telegraph†
Anyone who has visited an Ajax home game this season will have noticed how popular the Argentine left-back is among the supporters. The ‘Nico, Nico!’ regularly blares from the stands, even at times when the player in question is sitting on the bench. “I would not have believed who would have told me in 2018 that I would win the Eredivisie four times and be so popular with the fans,” says Tagliafico. would have been on the field myself: with passion for the club. I give everything for Ajax, because I love that club and the supporters. I feel the love from day 1 and I try to give it back with my game. The love is mutual and I will never forget.”
Tagliafico was only a basic player in the final phase this season and was eager to go to Barcelona in January, which proposed a rental deal. Erik ten Hag, however, kept his leg stiff: Tagliafico had to stay. “I already put the anger behind me when the transfer market closed,” says the wingback. “That was then. I focused on winning trophies. Unfortunately, I didn’t succeed in the cup final, but the title makes me proud.”
Marc Overmars spoke according to information from The Telegraph With Tagliafico that he can leave for four million euros. That was a verbal agreement, because the departed director of player affairs never put these kinds of agreements on paper. It remains to be seen whether Gerry Hamstra, the successor of Overmars, will maintain the oral agreement. “I keep the exact agreement between us out of respect for the club,” Tagliafico responds.
Tagliafico has a contract until mid-2023 and will certainly not renew. “I don’t want to stay in a place where I feel too comfortable,” he explains. Then I look for a new challenge.” Tagliafico looks back on a fantastic period. “The past four seasons have gone by incredibly quickly, because there were also two corona seasons in between. I have had more good moments at Ajax than bad ones. The highlights are my two goals against AEK Athens, my first national championship and reaching the semi-finals. of the Champions League.”