Loaned by OGC Nice to West Ham last summer, Jean-Clair Todibo is the subject of an astonishing rumor. The central defender is announced in the sights of Olympique Lyonnais. However, a departure of the French international for Les Gones seems improbable for several reasons.
During the transfer window, supporters know the song. Some rumors are confirmed and others should be taken with great caution. It is in this second category that we allow ourselves to include the latest information concerning Jean-Clair Todibo (25 years old). According to the regional daily Nice-Matin, Olympique Lyonnais wishes to recruit the central defender loaned by OGC Nice to West Ham. This would be a big blow for the Rhone club. But the operation still seems improbable for several reasons.
The first is obvious, the current fifth in Ligue 1 has received a recruitment ban from the DNCG. Unless there is a maneuver from its owner John Textor, Olympique Lyonnais will have difficulty strengthening itself during this winter transfer window. And without mentioning this sanction, why would Jean-Clair Todibo agree to leave the Hammers to join the Gones a few months after his arrival? The Frenchman did not impose himself in Julen Lopetegui's eleven. But his playing time (14 matches including 7 starts in the Premier League) shows that the former FC Barcelona player can win the favor of the Spanish manager.
West Ham will bet €40 million on Todibo
Finally, it is difficult to see how Olympique Lyonnais can afford to finance such a transfer. Jean-Clair Todibo is on loan with a purchase obligation of 40 million euros, an amount that West Ham will inevitably want to recover in the event of a sale. It is clear that the Eagle Football club is not in a position to pay such a large sum at present. And barring a miracle, his economic situation will not allow him to do so next summer either.
