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Arsenal dealt blow as defensive target rules out summer switch

Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico has ruled out a summer move to Arsenal, forcing Unai Emery to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements.

The Gunners remain in the hunt for the top four and took a huge step closer to a place in the Europa League final with a 3-1 victory over Valencia in the first leg of their last-four clash on Thursday.

Emery has yet to sufficiently tighten up Arsenal’s leaky backline, however, with the north Londoners possessing only the 10th best defensive record in the Premier League this season.

However, the Argentinian announced in a Twitter video that he will remain at Ajax, who hold a 1-0 aggregate lead over Tottenham in their Champions League semi-final ahead of Wednesday’s second leg, for at least another year.

"Hello fans, how are you? I want to tell you that I will stay for one more season. Hopefully it will be a great year, like it is this year. A hug to all of you," he said.

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).