Manchester United could reportedly use Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s connections to bring Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo to Old Trafford this month. The Frenchman, who was said to have been targeted by Tottenham last January, is thought to be attracting interest from all over Europe due to his impressive showings for Nice.
Todibo has played a key role in helping Nice to keep things tight at the back this season, with the French outfit having conceded just nine league goals since the start of the campaign. His imperious form has piqued the interest of United as Erik ten Hag looks to improve his defensive options before the end of the January window, according to RMC Sport.
It is said that United are ‘monitoring’ Todibo’s progress at Nice, who have been owned by Ratcliffe since they were bought out by his Ineos company four years ago. The Red Devils are not the only club with a desire to engineer a move, though, with Chelsea and AC Milan also thought to be keen on snapping him up.
Tottenham were previously interested in bringing Todibo to north London, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that a deal was discussed at club level 12 months ago. However, no agreement was reached in spite of Tottenham’s interest and the 24-year-old ended up staying at Nice.
It seems as though Nice will resist any bids for Todibo before the end of this month, given his importance to their defensive solidity over the course of this season. The report adds that he is unlikely to be allowed to leave in the middle of the campaign, although his situation could be ‘one to watch’ in the coming months.
It suggests that United may be forced to consider alternative targets if they are determined to sign a centre-back before the January window slams shut. Ten Hag refused to rule out the possibility of bringing players in on loan after the Dutchman named a bench full of youngsters for Monday’s win over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup.
“We consider everything,” he said. “What is the best interests of the players and also the best interests for us, the team, for Manchester United, so we’ll see how we progress during the window.”
United are likely to be busier in terms of outgoings, with Jadon Sancho edging closer to a return to Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season. There is also said to be interest in the likes of Hannibal Mejbri, Facundo Pellistri and Amad Diallo, while Donny van de Beek has already left Old Trafford to join Eintracht Frankfurt on a temporary basis.
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