Liverpool, who are looking to secure a centre-back this summer, have a list of young defenders who could replace former Schalke defender Joel Matip, who is likely to leave at the end of the season, and who could take over the back line on a long-term basis.
Interest continues to be rumoured in a number of European centre-backs, both right- and left-handed. The age of the players varies, some are around 20 years old, others are in their mid-20s, and 24-year-old defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who plays for Nice, is seen as one of the targets.
After a loan spell, he made a full transfer in the summer of 2021 and has been on the pitch in over 100 games for the club. He has been a steadfast stalwart and his growing reputation in France will bring him closer to taking a further step up the ladder.
Bruno Satin, the player’s former agent, recalls his time at Toulouse and confesses the behind-the-scenes story of his move to Barcelona in January of that year. He revealed that there was interest from Liverpool, Juventus, Leverkusen and Napoli, but the player himself wanted to move to Spain.
“[Former Napoli director Cristiano] Giuntoli asked me, but there was Liverpool, Juventus and Leverkusen, but then the boy wanted Barcelona and we chose to accommodate him,”
Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli
The French defender had a less than successful spell at Barcelona, spending most of his time on loan at Schalke and Benfica, with only a handful of appearances at the Camp Nou. As a result, his move to Spain was a failure.
In the Ligue 1, he regained his form and became a key figure in the team. With interest once again coming from some of Europe’s best clubs, will the 24-year-old centre-back embark on a new challenge in the summer of 2024?