Southampton have joined Premier League rivals Everton and Watford in battling for the signature of Barcelona’s £23 million-rated centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, according to Mundo Deportivo.
One of the most talented young defenders on the planet might be contracted to the La Liga champions right now.
But, with Barca strapped for cash and desperate to raise funds for a new, big-name attacking addition a la Lautaro Martinez or Neymar, the kings of Catalonia may have no choice but to listen to offers for a man they snapped up from Toulouse just 14 months ago.
Everton have already been tipped to raid the Camp Nou again with Todibo potentially set to follow in the footsteps of Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes.
Mundo Deportivo, meanwhile, reports that the France youth international is a target for Southampton too. The Saints have the joint-second worst defensive record in the Premier League and you would imagine that Todibo’s performances on loan at Schalke will have caught the eye of ex-Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s.
The 20-year-old has been a revelation at Schalke since joining on loan in January. Lothar Matthaus, the 1990 Ballon D’Or winner, is not an easy man to please but even he was left gobsmacked by the performances of a man who Barcelona will surely regret cashing in on.
“Todibo is the best centre back I’ve seen in a long time,” the Germany legend told Sport.
MD adds that Nigel Pearson’s Watford are also interested in the £23 million-rated powerhouse, who offered a tantalising glimpse of his talents with a Man of the Match display against Inter Milan’s much-vaunted Martinez-Romelu Lukaku strikeforce in the Champions League last year.
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