Jean-Clair Todibo during his time on loan with Schalke (Getty Images)
Leicestershire Live report that Barcelona are intent on selling off Jean-Clair Todibo but teams have yet to meet their valuation of the young centre-back. Currently, Leicester and Everton are in the race but have fallen short of the €25million that Barcelona are demanding.
It is believed that the Blaugrana are on the lookout for a new centre-back but will have to sell off players first. Todibo has yet to make more than 5 appearances for Barca but the club are willing to sanction a sale.
Jean-Clair Todibo started his youth career at Les Lilas back in 2007. After 9 years with them, he made the switch to Toulouse’s youth team.
He made the breakthrough into Toulouse’s first-team in 2018 and went on to make 10 appearances before Barcelona snapped him up mid-season. So far, it has not gone the way he would have thought. He has hardly gotten a handful of chances and was loaned out to Schalke in January earlier this year (via Transfermarkt).
In Germany, he could only manage 10 games before returning to Barcelona at the end of the season. He is yet to make his debut for the French national team but has made 5 appearances for the U-20 side.
Leicester’s current crop of centre-backs are Caglar Soyuncu, Jonny Evans and Wes Morgan. Morgan hardly featured for the side last season as Evans and Soyuncu were the preferred options for Brendan Rodgers. They need someone to take over from Evans and partner Soyuncu in the coming seasons.
At €25million, Todibo represents a huge gamble especially when you consider he has made just 25 senior appearances combined at all the teams he has played. Yes, the 20-year-old does seem to have potential but spending so much on such an inexperienced player feels like too big a risk.
Todibo may be a player with huge potential but keeping the current economic climate in mind, there is little logic in going for a player who hasn’t even played 30 games over the last two seasons.
Leicester would be better off without paying over the odds for Todibo. They should go for another of their reported targets such as Nicolas Nkoulou. He would be an experienced option ahead of someone like Todibo.