Leeds United are interested in signing former Barcelona centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo this summer.
That’s according to Leeds All Over sources, who believe a centre-back from Ligue 1 is on the club’s radar, believed to be the towering OGC Nice defender.
The Whites may dip into the central defensive market again now that Diego Llorente‘s move to AS Roma on a loan deal with the view to a permanent has been announced. The transfer could recoup the club some money back on their initial £18m spend on the 29-year-old when he signed from Real Sociedad in 2020.
Initial approaches for the 23-year-old Frenchman appear to have been knocked back but he is one to watch at Elland Road for the upcoming summer. Here, we take a look at ONE winner and ONE loser should a move materialise for Todibo
Winner – Jesse Marsch
Todibo would be the best centre-back at the club if he came in. Not only that, he would be one of the quickest defenders at the club and has immense quality on the ball.
He would be expensive for these reasons, but a huge improvement for Leeds’ head coach and would be a potentially transformative signing in improving the way the team plays and defends as a unit when they counter-press and are hit in transition down the flanks. Todibo will help the Whites to play higher given that he is a more press resistant player and and increases the recovery pace in the backline.
Overall this improves Marsch’s style of play immensely. It allows the team to press much higher up the pitch without as much fear of making many individual errors, and with the security of also knowing they will be less exposed on the counter attack with more athletic defenders such as the Frenchman at their disposal.
Quiz: Are these 15 facts about Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch true or false?
Loser – Robin Koch
Koch is a decent defender in his own right, but can’t hold a candle to the quality of a player Todibo is.
If Todibo signed, Koch would likely become more peripheral in terms of his place within the squad. He will still have usage, be that at right-back, holding midfield, or in either central defensive position; but he will be more limited for minutes than he has been this season.
The German is probably the most mobile centre-back at the club currently and will provide a solid back up option for Leeds. However, it is difficult to see a world where he is a regular starter without major injury to a central defender, given that Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper and Max Wöber all are left footed options for left centre-back.
Do Leeds need to sign a centre back in the summer?
Yes
No
