Ex-Barcelona star valued at around €40m nearing Manchester United move: Reports

Former Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo is reportedly nearing a move to Manchester United. The 23-year-old defender is seen as a top target for manager Erik ten Hag, who is keen on bolstering his defense.

As per a report in L'Equipe, Todibo is valued at €40 million by Nice. He is touted as the replacement for Harry Maguire, with the Englishman reportedly told that he is free to leave this summer.

Maguire, however, rejected a move to West Ham United despite the Hammers agreeing on a deal with the Red Devils.

Todibo has been in splendid form for Nice since moving from Barcelona. The Ligue 1 side named him as the vice-captain this summer but are open to selling the Frenchman.

Manchester United have not made the best start to the Premier League season and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in their first away match of the season. Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, have had a shaky start.

Manchester United were also interested in defender Benjamin Pavard, but the Bayern Munich star is close to joining Inter Milan. Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the two sides have agreed on a fee for the Frenchman.

Manchester United target is ready for Premier League, claims Jonathan Johnson

French football expert Jonathan Johnson has stated that Jean-Clair Todibo is ready for the big move to the Premier League. He believes it is not surprising that top clubs are chasing him after his impressive spell with Nice.

He was talking to Sky Sports when he claimed the lack of European football at Nice could be a key factor in deciding the defender's future. Speaking about the Manchester United target, he said:

"He [Todibo] has made a home for himself with Nice over the last couple of years. [He] paired very well for a brief period of time with William Saliba, [who is] obviously at Arsenal now. He's got himself in the reckoning to break into the French senior setup in the next couple of years. So it's no surprise that big clubs are sitting up and taking notice of Todibo."

He added:

"I think given the fact that Nice don't have European football this coming season, it is a really good opportunity this summer to potentially get a player who is already, in my opinion, Premier League ready, but somebody who also has a bit more room to develop, at a reasonable price. Because if Nice were to re-qualify for Europe, someone like Todibo I think would fetch a lot more than he could potentially be available for this summer."

Todibo has played 104 matches for the Ligue 1 side since moving from Barcelona. He had played just five games for the Catalan side after they signed him from Toulouse.