Spurs ‘hold further talks’ to beat Newcastle, Man Utd in transfer race as Ange eyes ‘three signings’
According to reports, Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo is being courted by Tottenham to join them, as well as Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Since moving from Barcelona to the French club in February 2021, the 23-year-old has made an impression.
He was signed permanently by Barca for €8.5 million after initially signing on loan at Schalke and Benfica in 2019. He was originally signed by Toulouse for a pitiful €1 million in 2019.
Todibo has settled nicely at Nice, where he has made 117 appearances in over three years after playing just five games for the Catalan giants.
Many European teams have taken notice of his impressive Ligue 1 exploits, and there are rumors that Manchester United is prepared to pay a “fortune” to get the center-back’s contract.
Tottenham has reportedly “held further talks” over an agreement to sign Todibo in 2024, according to a recent Daily Mail article.
Nice is said to be worth £35 million for their best defense, which isn’t too much for Premier League teams these days.
With his team in a reasonable position to earn a spot in the Champions League, Ange Postecoglou is reportedly keen to add three players during the winter transfer window.
A center defender is needed immediately since Cristian Romero is likely to face suspension and Micky van de Ven is injured.
The rumor that Todibo, a two-cap French international, is “keen to join” the Premier League team is encouraging for Spurs’ pursuit of the player.
However, this is unfortunate for Manchester United and Newcastle, since both teams hope to sign a center-back in January.
According to a report from the Portuguese publication O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Benfica is predicted to win the competition for Estudiantes striker Benjamin Rollheiser, so Todibo may not be the only target the Magpies pass on in January.
The 23-year-old Argentine is being pursued by many teams, but according to the report, the Portuguese powerhouses are anticipated to seal a deal to bring him in before the end of 2023.
According to reports, Newcastle is “watching” Rollheiser amid “optimism” that he will sign a contract with Benfica for about €9 million.
Eddie Howe will undoubtedly be somewhat disappointed by this, but it doesn’t seem like this signing is a top priority right now.
Financial fair play regulations have generated a lot of discussion around the Magpies’ spending power, but transfer specialist David Ornstein just disclosed that Howe would have a January budget to work with.
Ornstein stated: “It’s possible for Newcastle to enter the January market because they do have some FFP space.”
“They are highly conscious of the need to comply, just like other teams, so I’m not suggesting they can go on a spending binge. Their financial condition will be severely impacted by the loss of European football, but it is quite possible that they will take action.