West Ham is finalizing a deal to acquire the highly-rated Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo. The 24-year-old has agreed to personal terms with the club and is set to undergo a medical today. The arrangement is an initial loan to West Ham, with an option to purchase Todibo for £34.2 million next summer.
Todibo’s current contract with Nice runs until June 2027, and the French club is eager to secure a transfer fee. Manchester United had shown interest earlier this summer, but concerns over potential breaches of UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules—since both United and Nice are partly owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group—halted the deal.
- Athletic Club forward Nico Williams was linked with a move this summer, with Barcelona showing interest in signing the Spain international. However, Williams ultimately decided to stay with Athletic Club for the 2024-25 season.
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Juventus also pursued Todibo for weeks without success. Now, West Ham, managed by Julen Lopetegui, is nearing a deal to sign the twice-capped France international.
West Ham are on the lookout for a new centre-back following the agreement between UAE club Shabab Al Ahli and their captain, Kurt Zouma. Zouma is scheduled to have a medical examination at the Emirati club. Todibo, who first joined Nice on loan from Barcelona in January 2021, saw the move become permanent later that year. He has since made 119 appearances for Nice and scored one goal.
