Manchester United have spread their summer transfer activity across the pitch, but with just over a week to go, the Premier League club have not yet bolstered the central defence despite consistent speculation.
Andre Onana has replaced David De Gea in goal, Mason Mount has been brought in to add depth and dynamism to the midfield, while Rasmus Hojlund has been signed as the new centre-forward.
While focus appears to be on signing pass master Sofyan Amrabat, Erik ten Hag’s side are also monitoring the situation of OGC Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo, and a formal offer may be forthcoming.
What’s the latest on Jean-Clair Todibo to Manchester United?
According to prominent French outlet L’Equipe (via Get French Football News), the Frenchman is closing on a move to the Old Trafford side and is valued at around €40m (£34m).
The Red Devil hierarchy have identified the 23-year-old as the perfect heir to Harry Maguire, who has been intensely linked with a move away, and while this has not materialised, United remain in pursuit.
How good is Jean-Clair Todibo?
Manchester United have started their Premier League campaign with a narrow victory over impressive Wolverhampton Wanderers before suffering defeat in London against Tottenham Hotspur.
While the season is in it’s primitive stage, it’s clear that the United midfield needs more support and more energy, and deploying Todibo into the fold would boost those ahead of him, with Casemiro likely to benefit immensely.
The distinguished Brazilian anchor was signed from Real Madrid in a deal worth £70m last summer, having won five Champions League trophies and three LaLiga titles during his time in Spain.
Back in February, Casemiro was praised by The Athletic for his transformative effect on United’s midfield, providing an all-encompassing sheen to his defensive efforts, ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 28% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
More importantly, his defensive application is superlative, ranking among the top 4% for tackles and aerials won and the top 1% for clearances and blocks per 90.
Not only would Todibo enhance the 31-year-old’s game, but he would also see his own skill set improved by the ace, who has been said to be on a “different level” by journalist Liam Canning.
Todibo, described as “solid as a rock” by scout Jacek Kulig, recorded an impressive average Sofascore rating of 6.94 in Ligue 1 last year, completing 89% of his passes, making 2.2 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game and succeeding with 65% of his duel attempts.
The £19k-per-week colossus also ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for successful take-ons and the top 10% for tackles per 90, highlighting a robustness that could allow Casemiro’s qualities to shine.
The Bundesliga official website also noted that the former Schalke titan is ‘superb on the ball’, which only strengthens the argument for his acquisition.
Casemiro has been dribbled past three times per game in the Premier League this term, and while it’s only early into the year, this is a concerning element.
With Todibo erected as an impregnable wall in front of Onana’s goal, ‘solid as a rock’, United could move closer to establishing the cohesion and hardiness needed for success this season, and Ten Hag must now orchestrate a transfer.
