Chelsea open talks to sign French international linked with Manchester United: Reports
Chelsea are reportedly looking to sign defender Jean-Clair Todibo from Nice. The Blues are said to be facing competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the Frenchman.
As per a report in FootMercato, Todibo is now Chelsea's top target to bolster their defense. They are looking to sign a long-term replacement for Thiago Silva.
The French defender has been in top form since moving to the Ligue1 side from Barcelona in 2021. He was signed for €8.5 million but Nice want at least €50 million to part ways with their top star, who is under contract until 2027.
Chelsea have been leaking goals this season and want to add a defender to their squad. They see Todibo as the one to replace Silva, while they are also looking to sell Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr.
Tottenham and Manchester United have reportedly been in talks with Nice to sign the defender but have not managed to agree on a deal.
Manchester United were urged to sign Chelsea target by French Football expert
French Football expert Jonathan Johnson had high praise for Jean-Clair Todibo and claimed that the Nice star was ready for a move to the Premier League. The Chelsea target was linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer and the Red Devils were urged to sign him.
He said on Sky Sports:
"He [Todibo] has made a home for himself with Nice over the last couple of years. [He] paired very well for a brief period of time with William Saliba, [who is] obviously at Arsenal now. He's got himself in the reckoning to break into the French senior setup in the next couple of years. So it's no surprise that big clubs are sitting up and taking notice of Todibo."
He added:
"I think given the fact that Nice don't have European football this coming season, it is a really good opportunity this summer to potentially get a player who is already, in my opinion, Premier League ready, but somebody who also has a bit more room to develop, at a reasonable price. Because if Nice were to re-qualify for Europe, someone like Todibo I think would fetch a lot more than he could potentially be available for this summer."
Nice are looking to keep Todibo in January, but reports suggest they could agree to a deal that would see the Frenchman return on a 6-month loan.