Manchester United’s transfer interest in Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo has been confirmed by Jonathan Johnson in the French football expert’s exclusive column for the Daily Briefing.
The Red Devils could do with making changes to their defence, with the future of players like Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof looking uncertain, while Jonny Evans is surely not a long-term option and even Raphael Varane isn’t getting any younger.
According to Johnson, Todibo looks like he could be a good option for Man Utd, though he won’t come cheap and could command a fee of at least £50million or even more after reviving his career with Nice.
The Frenchman struggled in a spell at Barcelona as a youngster, but Johnson now believes he’s ready to try again at a top club, so United could do well to bring him in and use the experience of his fellow countryman Varane to help him settle in at Old Trafford.
“Jean-Clair Todibo is known to be one of the names on Manchester United’s list of centre-back targets for 2024, and it would be interesting to see what kind of impact that would have on Raphael Varane,” Johnson said.
“The former Real Madrid man turns 31 later this season, but I don’t think Todibo would necessarily be arriving as a long-term successor to his fellow Frenchman. I think, if anything, Varane could be a good figure to have around to help someone like Todibo settle in, and players like Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof might be ones who find their place in the team is more under threat from his arrival.
“We know that Maguire isn’t enjoying the easiest relationship with Erik ten Hag, even if there are perhaps signs of some improvement recently, and Lindelof’s contract is close to expiring, even if there’s an option to extend it, so there clearly could be room for Todibo, though it’s worth noting that he will cost big money. We’re probably talking at least around the £50m if not a bit higher.
“Nice have started well in Ligue 1 and are looking pretty exciting right now, though of course now that Todibo is a full France international I’m sure he’ll want to play at the highest level possible.
“I don’t see a move happening in January, but a summer move could be on the cards, depending on the season pans out for Nice … Still, there’s no doubt Todibo is a coveted prospect at this moment in time, not just from United but from a number of other big clubs around Europe.
“Top clubs have been looking at him and he’s someone who now seems ready for that sort of move – one which he arguably took a bit too early when he joined Barcelona earlier in his career. He had a difficult time there, going out on loan to Schalke and Benfica before really settling at Nice, and now at the age of 23, 24 at the end of the year, he’s much better-placed to make a move to a European giant than he was when he first moved to Barca in 2019.”