Manchester United dealt transfer blow as club will not be allowed to sign top target due to UEFA rules - Reports
Manchester United's deal with OGC Nice for defender Jean-Clair Todibo is reportedly off due to UEFA rules, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
As per the rules, two clubs with the same ownership playing in the same tournament can't indulge in the transfer of a player because teams can use it to mutually benefit each other.
INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a majority shareholder of Ligue 1 side OGC Nice. He's also a minority stakeholder in Premier League giants Manchester United. As a result, Todibo's transfer is unlikely to take place this summer.
Apart from Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid are also interested in the 24-year-old French defender.
Jean-Clair Todibo joined Nice in January 2021 on a loan deal with an option to buy from Barcelona. In June the same year, the Frenchman joined the Ligue 1 outfit on a permanent deal for a reported fee of €8.5 million.
Since then, Todibo has made 136 appearances for Nice, scoring two goals and assisting three. Last season, he made 33 appearances for Nice across competitions, bagging three assists. He started 30 Ligue 1 games, helping keep 15 clean sheets.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are in talks with Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, LOSC Lille's Leny Yoro and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi.
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee move hits roadblock
United have been reportedly dealt a major blow in their pursuit to sign Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee. That's because his representative Kia Joorabchian is demanding a £12.6 million agent fee for the transfer, as per Gazzetta Dello Sport.
It was earlier revealed by the Athletic that Manchester United and Zirkzee had entered advanced transfer talks. Apart from the agent fee, the Dutchman has a release clause of £34 million.
Last season, Zirkzee made 37 appearances for Bologna across competitions, bagging 12 goals and seven assists. The former Bayern Munich attacker has also been selected for the Netherlands at the ongoing 2024 Euro Championships.
However, he didn't play the Netherlands' 2-1 win over Poland in their Euro 2024 Group D opener on Sunday, June 16. Apart from the Red Devils, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are also interested in the Dutchman this summer.