“He told me Man united is his choice and the only PL club he wants to join. Not even Pep Guardiola can stop him”- PSG striker Kylian Mbappe revealed Man united have held internal talks over a move for his 6ft 4in teammate- £43M bid has been accepted and player is only waiting to join Man united by next week
Manchester United have been asked to sign one new defender in particular in January by Erik ten Hag, according to a reliable journalist.
Erik ten Hag eyeing new centre-back signing
The Red Devils have had an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won nine, drawn one and lost seven of their opening 17 games, meaning that they currently find themselves seventh in the Premier League table.
Having let 21 goals in since the start of the term, Ten Hag will know that his defensive record has to improve moving forward, and with the need for tightening up his backline clear, the manager has set his sights on securing a new centre-back during the upcoming transfer window.
The Daily Mail previously reported that Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo was on a shortlist of four targets alongside Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini, but considering his recent displays, the former has emerged as the leading contender.
The France international has established himself as Francesco Farioli’s overall best-performing player this season with a match rating of 7.03 (WhoScored – Nice statistics), and the 23-year-old’s impressive form has caught the eye, specifically of the boss, at Old Trafford.
Man United want top target Todibo
Taking to X, Rudy Galetti revealed that Man United are interested in Todibo, with Ten Hag personally requesting that he is signed in January.
“Ten Hag – as already reported – is currently not at risk and is planning, aligned with Man Utd, possible transfer moves to strengthen the squad already in January. In particular, the manager asked for a new CB: Jean-Clair Todibo is at the top of the list.”
Standing at 6 foot 2, Todibo provides a real physical presence with his height at the heart of the backline, which he’s proven so far this season, currently averaging 3.2 clearances and 1.9 tackles per game in Ligue 1 (WhoScored – Todibo statistics).
The Cayenne native is also extremely calm and composed in possession where he’s been averaging a 90.7% pass success rate since the start of the campaign, highlighting his ability to control and dictate the game when he has the ball at his feet.
Sponsored by Adidas, Ten Hag’s target has even posted five contributions, three goals and two assists, at the opposite end of the pitch following his arrival on the professional scene, so his desire to get involved in the final third will be another attractive quality (Transfermarkt – Todibo statistics).
As described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Todibo is as “solid as a rock”, but with top-flight rivals Tottenham Hotspur having recently opened talks to sign him, the hierarchy know they will have to act quickly if they want to beat their competitors to his signature in January.
