West Ham had a loan deal set up earlier this summer with Nice for Jean-Clair Todibo, including an option to buy him for €32m (£27m). However, Todibo was initially holding out for a move to Juventus, but the Italian club couldn’t reach an agreement with Nice despite weeks of negotiations. West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, recently held lengthy talks with Todibo and convinced him to join the London club, and he is now set to undergo a medical.
Juventus remains interested in Todibo, but their discussions with Nice have not resulted in a deal. Manchester United also wanted to sign Todibo, but because INEOS owns both United and Nice, they agreed not to trade players between the two clubs to avoid conflicts in UEFA competitions.
West Ham is eager to sign a new centre-back, especially with Kurt Zouma expected to leave for UAE club Shabab Al Ahli. Todibo’s personal terms are not expected to be an issue, making his move to West Ham likely.
