Who is Liverpool & Wolves target Jean-Clair Todibo? A great talent on the rise?
According to French outlet La Depeche, Premier League clubs Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers are both interested in signing Toulouse defender Jean-Clair Todibo in 2019.
The French club’s star defender Issa Diop left for West Ham United in the summer transfer window, and young Todibo stepped up as they decided not to replace the former with a new signing. The 18-year-old is doing a fantastic job, concurrently attracting interests from some of the big boys in English football.
Liverpool already have a settled first-choice centre-back partnership of Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk, with Dejan Lovren providing the cover for both. However, the inconsistency of Joel Matip in terms of fitness and performance means that the Reds are looking for a new centre-back, and as mentioned above, they are targeting Todibo.
However, they will be challenged by Wolves, the report claims. The Old Gold have one French defender in Willy Boly, and might be seeking to sign the youngster and enhance the quality of their defence.
Here’s everything you need to know about the player:
Scout report – Jean-Clair Todibo
Age – 18
Current Club – Toulouse
Main Position – Centre-back
Todibo is an impressive centre-back who possesses the ability to dominate opposition centre-forwards and defend the attacking situations expertly. With a height of well over 6ft, the Frenchman is a proper threat in both boxes, having won aerial duels at a rate of 2.5 this season in the Ligue 1 so far.
He is a no-nonsense defender who reads the game well and nullifies the danger as soon as possible. The 18-year-old has made tackles, interceptions and clearances at a rate of 2.1, 1.4 and 6.2 respectively, epitomising his propensity to be an ideal “defence-first centre-back.”
In terms of passing from the back, Todibo is no slouch. The youngster has a pass success rate of over 84%. Hence, it’s easy to conclude that the 18-year-old is an ideal centre-back for Premier League football, with attributes that suit the way Liverpool and Wolves play.
This is his first season in top-flight French football and he is already making a name for himself at such a tender age of 18. Therefore, we can safely predict his future to be bright, especially due to the fact that his qualities are abundant and confidence is unerring – the two major things necessary to become a successful defender in top level football.
If and when Todibo makes a move to the Premier League, English football would witness a treasure of talent every time he steps onto the pitch.
Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com
