Tottenham and Chelsea hold talks over deal to sign Jean-Clair Todibo

Tottenham and Chelsea have both held talks over a potential deal to sign OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, according to a report from Telefoot.

The report claims that the London rivals have ‘held talks’ with the players entourage regarding a possible transfer to England, but a move is unlikely this month.

Nice are determined to keep hold of Todibo for the rest of the season so the 24-year-old is more likely to move during the summer transfer window when he’ll cost around €60 million (£51m).

Todibo has established himself as one of the best defenders in Ligue 1 and he is certainly good enough for the Premier League. He could prove to be a quality acquisition for Chelsea if they could get a deal done. They will need to replace Thiago Silva soon and the French international could be a quality replacement.

Todibo is entering the peak years of his career and he will want to join a big club and compete for major trophies. A move to Chelsea would be the ideal step up in his career right now.

Similarly, Tottenham need more depth in their defensive unit, and the Frenchman could be the ideal addition to the side alongside Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin. 

Todibo would cost a premium

Both clubs would be exciting opportunities for the defender and it will be interesting to see where he ends up if he does leave Nice at the end of the season.

Tottenham are currently better-placed to secure Champions League qualification for the next season and they could be a more attractive proposition if they finish in the top four.

The reported asking price seems quite steep but the Ligue 1 defender could make an immediate impact and transform both clubs defensively. Therefore, he could justify the outlay in the coming seasons.

However, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea or Tottenham are prepared to break the bank for him so we’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the next few months.