As Benjamin Pavard’s move to Inter Milan trickles closer to completion, Manchester United have been forced to assess other defensive options in the market.
Whilst Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez appear to be the cemented first-choice centre-back pairing for Erik ten Hag, their competition isn’t exactly inspiring.
Harry Maguire’s reputation has been decimated since the arrival of the Dutch coach last summer, having lost his place in the side to Martinez and being stripped of the captaincy in favour of the indomitable Bruno Fernandes.
Meanwhile, Victor Lindelof, who has been at Old Trafford since 2017, has failed to fill any fan or manager with confidence due to his lack of influence and inconsistency.
Ten Hag must find reinforcements, and it appears the club is working to achieve this…
What’s the latest Manchester United transfer news?
Writing exclusively for CaughtOffside on the Daily Briefing Substack, reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano explained that the Red Devils must sell Harry Maguire before they can make another defensive signing, with Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo on the shortlist.
United are also interested in Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…
Romano said:
“Jean-Clair Todibo has always been the other name on United’s list alongside Edmond Tapsoba and Marc Guehi, but honestly at the moment, the Harry Maguire situation is completely quiet. Nothing is happening with Maguire after his move to West Ham collapsed, and so Man United are not close to signing any new centre-back.”
Would Jean-Clair Todibo be a good signing for Manchester United?
Since joining Nice in 2021, the 23-year-old has established himself as a highly efficient and dominant centre-back.
Last season, in 33 Ligue 1 starts, the £21k-per-week titan averaged 2.2 tackles per game, 1.2 interceptions per game, 3.1 clearances per game, and 0.6 blocks per game – his numbers for the final couple of metrics rank second-highest in the squad.
His talent has been recognised by German legend Lothar Matthaus, who described the former Barcelona prodigy as the “best centre-back” he’s seen in a “long time.”
This level of praise was echoed by former Arsenal and current Cardiff City star Aaron Ramsey, who added:
“He’s very confident and he’s a great guy around the dressing room and he’s a very, very talented player, who can go all the way to the top.”
Maguire is somewhat of an easy target and to point out his deficiencies against a pacier, more dynamic, and younger defender is relatively straight-forward.
However, alongside the Englishman, Lindelof has also struggled and has often looked uncomfortable and underwhelming for United.
Unsurprisingly, Todibo – who is valued at around £20m by FootballTransfers – vastly trumps the Swede in numerous categories, related to ball-carrying and defensive actions.
This includes progressive passes per 90 (4.2 vs 3.35), successful take-ons per 90 (0.63 vs 0.09), tackles per 90 (2.33 vs 1.49), interceptions per 90 (1.37 vs 1.07), and blocks per 90 (1.27 vs 0.98).
In a season where United are looking to cement their position in the top four, whilst also mounting a serious Champions League campaign and potentially adding more silverware, then Todibo could be a crucial addition and a more reliable piece of depth than Lindelof.
