According to Sport (via SportWitness), Manchester United are prepared to pay a real fortune to sign Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo in January.
The Premier League giants were credited with an interest in signing the Frenchman last summer, but a deal did not go through. Man United did not have the budget to afford his signature. They were hoping to offload Harry Maguire to secure transfer funds, but the centre-back decided to stay at the club.
Todibo continues to be linked with a move to Manchester and Sport claim that United could be willing to pay a real fortune to land him this winter. The Spanish outlet claim that he is valued in upwards of £43 million and Nice could demand a higher fee to sanction his departure in the next transfer window.
It is not revealed what United could pay for him but Barcelona are hoping that a deal goes through such that they can receive a mid-season financial boost. Todibo signed for Nice in January 2021 before joining them permanently in the summer. Barcelona will receive 20% of any future sale fee.
Top-class defender
United have had a poor campaign and their defensive record has been a cause for concern, particularly in the Champions League. They have leaked 14 goals in the space of 5 matches despite getting a favourable group draw with Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray. The club need plenty of things to go their way in the last matchday to qualify for the round of 16.
Their struggles at the back in Europe have also been visible in certain Premier League games. United need more defensive firepower and bringing Todibo could be beneficial in their quest for the top 4. The Frenchman is an excellent distributor but also likes to engage in tackles and duels. Another big strength of the 24-year-old is the ability to make superb recovery runs.
It is left to be seen whether United will make a huge outlay for him in January. With their concerns due to Financial Fair Play, they may need a couple of player sales in the New Year before purchasing the centre-back. An alternative would be a loan deal with a buy obligation but Nice may want funds up front with them challenging for the French Ligue 1 title.
