Barcelona could pocket €22.5m from exit for starlet currently out on loan

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Barcelona could reportedly be offered the chance to offload Jean-Clair Todibo this summer even if Schalke decide against exercising their option to buy him.

The 20-year-old joined the Catalan giants from Toulouse from January 2019, but after making just five appearances for the club he was shipped out on loan to Schalke this past January.

As noted by the club’s official site, the Bundesliga outfit have an option to sign him permanently for €25m plus €5m in add-ons at the end of the season, and while Todibo had started to show his worth for them prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the financial impact of the crisis has put a permanent move in doubt.

According to Sport, it’s unlikely that Schalke will exercise that option, but it’s suggested that Everton could be keen to take him to the Premier League instead and are tipped to potentially offer up to €22.5m to prise him away from the Camp Nou.

In turn, Barcelona seemingly have a big decision to make, as that is a significant amount of money for an ultimately unproven player, while ESPN noted this week that they’re under pressure to raise around €70m in player sales by the end of June to help them balance the books for the financial year.

That said, aside from Gerard Pique, who turns 34 next year, Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet, with the former continuing to struggle with injury problems, the reigning La Liga champions don’t have much in the way of quality competition and depth in that department.

Ronald Araujo is seemingly poised to make his mark and push for a bigger role in the coming years, but it would arguably make sense to keep hold of Todibo too rather than have to re-enter the transfer market for a new solution.

Time will tell whether or not an exit materialises, but Barcelona could have an important decision to make this summer.

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