Liverpool interested in ‘incredibly calm’ defender; he was once sent off after 9 seconds – report
According to reports from France, Liverpool are interested in a potential move for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
L’Equipe reported that the Reds are among several Premier League clubs, along with a couple from Italy, showing an interest in the 23-year-old.
An asking price of €30m (£26.5m) could see him depart the Allianz Riviera, although Les Aiglons would hope to secure at least €40m (£35.4m) for him.
Although Todibo’s contract runs until 2027, he’s believed to be carefully considering the most ideal project for him next season.
The 6 foot 2 defender was once described by Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus as ‘the best centre back I’ve seen in a long time’ and ‘incredibly calm’ (Sport), although a standout incident from earlier this season would appear to conflict with the latter description.
When Nice played Angers last September, there were only nine seconds on the clock when the Frenchman was sent off for a professional foul, which is thought to be the quickest dismissal in Ligue 1 in the 21st century (One Football).
That’s one of three red cards Todibo has been shown during the current campaign (Transfermarkt), so discipline does seem to be a worrying issue with him. By comparison, Liverpool as a squad have only had one sending off in the entirety of 2022/23 (Transfermarkt).
Despite that tendency for early baths, though, the 23-year-old has a fine tackling record overall, ranking among the top 8% of centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues for that metric over the past year (FBref).
He’s also adept at taking on opponents, featuring in the 97th percentile for successful dribbles among players in his position.
At his best he seems elegant, but at his worst he can be quite irascible. Perhaps Liverpool are optimistic that his disciplinary issues could recede with time, with his evident qualities in both winning and advancing with the ball instead coming to the fore.
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