Tottenham are reportedly in talks to sign Nice defender Jean-Clair Todiba, who has been linked with Newcastle United and Manchester United.
The 23-year-old has impressed for the French club since joining them from Barcelona in February 2021.
Barca bought him from Toulouse for just under €1 million in 2019, then loaned him out to Schalke and Benfica before he returned to France on an initial loan deal that led to a permanent signing for €8.5 million.
Todibo made just five appearances for the Catalan giants, but found a home in Nice, where he racked up 117 appearances in almost three years at the club.
His excellent performances in Ligue 1 have attracted the attention of several European clubs, with Manchester United reportedly willing to pay “a fortune” to win the race to sign the central defender.
According to a new report by the Daily Mail, Tottenham are said to be in “further talks” about signing Todiba in 2024.
Nice reportedly value their star defender at £35 million, which is not too much for Premier League clubs these days.
Ange Postecoglou is reportedly keen to sign three players in the winter transfer window as his players are in a good position to qualify for the Champions League.
With Micky van de Ven injured and Cristian Romero prone to suspension, he feels it is “urgent” to acquire a central defender.
Spurs’ pursuit of Todiba is set to intensify, with the France international and two-time captain reportedly “keen to join” a Premier League club.
This is bad news for Newcastle and Manchester United as both clubs are keen to sign a central defender in January.
Todibo may not be the only target the Magpies will miss in January, as Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness) reports that Benfica are expected to win the race for Estudiantes striker Benjamin Rollheiser.
Many clubs are interested in signing the 23-year-old Argentine, but the report states that the Portuguese giants are expected to conclude a deal to sign him before the end of 2023.
Newcastle are said to be “eyeing” Rollheiser and are optimistic that he will join Benfica for a fee of €9 million.
Although this will be a slight disappointment for Eddie Howe, it is believed that this signing is not a priority at the moment.
There has been much talk about the Magpies’ ability to spend due to financial fair play rules, but transfer expert David Ornstein recently revealed that Howe will have a January budget to work with.
Ornstein said: ‘Newcastle have some space under FFP, so they can reach for the money in January.
“I’m not saying they can spend because like all clubs they are well aware they have to comply with the rules. Even losing European football will have a detrimental effect on their financial position, but it is certainly likely that they will do something.