- West Ham have completed the signing of Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo on loan
- If the Hammers like what they see, then they can sign him next summer for £34m.
- Manchester United had been linked with him until UEFA regulations banned any move.
West Ham have signed Jean-Clair Todibo from Nice on loan with an option to buy him for £34m next summer.
Mail Sport reported earlier this week that the Hammers were back in the race to sign the Nice defender amid competition from Juventus.
The 24-year-old played a key role as Nice secured the Europa League with a fifth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season and made 33 appearances in all competitions.
In a slick video produced by West Ham, a smiling Todibo kisses his fist, pulls on his crest and flashes the Hammers sign to signal his loyalty to east London.
He is West Ham’s seventh signing of the summer, following Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme, who have joined on fee-paying deals. Wes Foderingham and Guido Rodrigues have joined on free transfers.
Jean-Clair Todibo has completed a loan move from Nice to West Ham with a £34m buyout clause
The defender has been a key player for Nice and helped them reach the Europa League.
“I’m really excited to be signing for West Ham United,” said Todibo. “It’s a dream come true to play in the Premier League, the best league in the world.
“It feels like the right time to come to West Ham, in the heart of London, with an incredible and passionate fan base.”
Having impressed at another of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s teams, Todibo had been heavily linked with a move to Ineos-owned Manchester United this summer before UEFA regulations on multiple club ownership put an end to the deal.
West Ham manager Tim Steidten has travelled to France in a bid to secure the signature of the former Barcelona star with the club determined to bolster their defence ahead of the imminent departure of Kurt Zouma.
Zouma has attracted interest across the Middle East and has been linked with a possible move to UAE Pro League side Shabab Al-Ahli in recent days.
With the departure of the club captain, Julen Lopetegui has set his sights on strengthening his defensive options for next season.
The deal sees the Frenchman initially join Lopetegui’s side on a season-long loan, with a mandatory £34m buyout agreed for next summer.
After graduating from Toulouse’s academy, the centre-back made his senior debut for the club’s first team in 2018 before joining Barcelona on a free transfer the following year.
Hammers manager Tim Steiden has travelled to France in a bid to finalise the deal.
The two-time France international had been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer.
Todibo only made five appearances for the Catalan club and was loaned out to both Schalke and Benfica before joining Nice in 2020.
After initially joining Les Aiglons on loan, the move was made permanent in June 2021.
Todibo has since established himself as one of Europe’s most promising defenders and was duly rewarded for his performances at the Allianz Riviera with a senior France debut in September.
