Chelsea's Thiago Silva replacement is bad news for Man Utd
Tom Weber
- Updated: 7 Nov 2023 13:10 GMT
- 3 min read
Chelsea are lining up Jean-Clair Todibo as a replacement for Thiago Silva, according to a report.
The French defender has become one of Ligue 1's best and most consistent players in his position. Table-topping OGC Nice boast an unbelievable defensive record this term, having conceded just four goals in 11 games so far, and Todibo has been one of the biggest reasons behind their impressive solidity.
Now a senior France international, the 23-year-old was heavily linked with Manchester United in the summer, but the failure of West Ham to strike a deal for Harry Maguire meant that the Red Devils did not have the necessary resources to pursue a move. United remain interested and are expected to be in for Todibo again in 2024.
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But they are not the only Premier League club keen on him.
Chelsea want him
According to The Sun, Chelsea have now barged into the race to sign the Nice star. The Blues view Todibo as an ideal replacement for veteran centre-back Thiago Silva, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
The expectation is that the 39-year-old will leave Stamford Bridge and he recently admitted that retirement is increasingly becoming inevitable. Todibo is currently valued at €20 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, though Nice will naturally demand a fair bit more given that there is still room for him to become even better at just 23. Nevertheless, the Frenchman appears to be an attainable target.
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If Chelsea's interest were to become more concrete, it wouldn't be the first time they went head-to-head with Man Utd for the signature of a French defender. In the summer, Man Utd had courted Monaco's Axel Disasi for several weeks only for him to get snapped up by the Blues for €45m.
