France's defender Jean Clair Todibo speaks during a press conference at Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille, northern France on October 16, 2023, on the eve of the friendly international football match between France and Scotland. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
West Ham United have reached an agreement with OGC Nice to sign French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, but a significant hurdle remains in finalising the deal.
According to Foot Mercato, the Hammers have agreed to sign Todibo on loan with an option to make the purchase permanent for around £30 million plus bonuses. However, the player wants to join Juventus.
The Serie A giants have been touted as a likely destination for Todibo after his proposed move to Manchester United fell through due to UEFA’s ownership restrictions.
Juventus remains a potential landing spot for Todibo, but they’re yet to submit a formal bid, opening the door for West Ham to take the lead in the race for his signature.
The Hammers have a concrete offer on the table, but we now have to convince the player that our project aligns with his ambitions.
West Ham had seen an initial bid worth £25m plus £4m in bonuses rejected by Nice, forcing the club to turn their attention to English defender Max Kilman.
We subsequently secured the 27-year-old in a £40m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but manager Julen Lopetegui wants to strengthen the defence further with another centre-back.
Nice were holding out for around £34m, but our revised proposal was enough to strike an agreement. We now need to do everything in our power to convince the player to choose us over Juventus.
West Ham can’t afford to miss out on Todibo
At least one of Nayef Aguerd or Kurt Zouma could leave the club this summer, so it’s paramount that we secure a solid partner for Kilman at the heart of the defence, and Todibo checks that box perfectly.
The 24-year-old is a highly coveted defender with plenty of European experience and is considered one of the best defenders in the French top flight.
He’s the calibre of player we should be recruiting, but the prospect of playing Champions League football with Juventus could be too great for the Frenchman to turn down.
However, we can’t afford to miss out on Todibo and must make a compelling case to bring him to West Ham. Securing Todibo would solidify our defence and send a strong message about our ambitions.
