Jean-Clair Todibo has made over 100 appearances for Nice (Photo: Getty)
Nice’s manager and captain have both admitted that Manchester United transfer target Jean-Clair Todibo could leave the club this summer.
Todibo is one of four centre-backs being eyed up by Erik ten Hag to replace Harry Maguire who seems set to join West Ham.
On Wednesday, the Red Devils accepted the Irons’ £30million offer for the England star who was stripped of the United captaincy earlier this summer.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi are two of these four targets, but both are considered too expensive at this stage of the window.
That narrows the search down to two names – Todibo of Nice and Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich, with the latter keen on the move as he wants a new challenge and fancies testing himself in the Premier League.
Though not as experienced or proven as Pavard, Todibo is still very highly-rated and at 23 has plenty of potential to improve.
And even at his young age he is already one of Nice’s vice captains and as such his newly appointed manager Francesco Farioli is keen to keep him in France, though admits that may be easier said than done.
Legendary defender Dante has played for Nice since 2016 (Photo: Getty)
‘I have two vice-captains – Khephren Thuram and Jean-Clair Todibo – who are among the best players in the team,’ he said via France Bleu
‘We would like both players to stay until the end of the season. But the reality of the transfer window escapes me.
‘We’ll see what happens. As long as they’re here, I’m enjoying having them.’
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Nice skipper and legendary defender Dante, echoed his manager’s thoughts, adding: ‘Of course we would like Todibo to stay. But it can be complicated.
‘We have to wait to see who will want to buy him and if everyone finds himself there. He is a leader, a very strong player mentally, he has improved a lot and he is ready to reach the very top level.’
Though they will be losing Maguire, Ten Hag could be tempted to wait before signing a replacement as United have just re-signed Jonny Evans on a free, who will hep support Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof.
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Erik ten Hag is eyeing up the highly-rated defender.
