West Ham United have reached an agreement with OGC Nice to sign French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, but a significant hurdle remains in finalising the deal.
According to Foot Mercato, the Hammers have agreed to sign Todibo on loan with an option to make the purchase permanent for around £30 million plus bonuses. However, the player wants to join Juventus.
The Serie A giants have been touted as a likely destination for Todibo after his proposed move to Manchester United fell through due to UEFA’s ownership restrictions.
Juventus remains a potential landing spot for Todibo, but they’re yet to submit a formal bid, opening the door for West Ham to take the lead in the race for his signature.
The Hammers have made a concrete offer but must convince the player that their project aligns with his ambitions.
West Ham’s initial bid of £25m plus £4m in bonuses was rejected by Nice, forcing the club to turn its attention to Max Kilman.
They signed the 27-year-old in a £40m deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but manager Julen Lopetegui wants to strengthen the defence further with another centre-back.
Nice were holding out for around £34m, but the revised proposal was enough to strike an agreement.
The 24-year-old is a highly coveted player with plenty of European experience and is considered one of the best defenders in the French top flight.
He’s the calibre of player West Ham should be recruiting, but the prospect of playing Champions League football with Juventus could be too great for the Frenchman to turn down.
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