Jurgen Klopp’s side will strengthen their backline this year.
Liverpool are unlikely to do anything drastic in the January transfer window after such heavy spending in the summer, with Jurgen Klopp’s side firing on all cylinders and performing admirably despite several setbacks to key members throughout the campaign.
The Premier League pace-setters saw numerous changes to the midfield before the start of the term after finishing fifth last year and consequently missing out on the Champions League.
Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez had arrived over the previous three windows to strengthen the offensive ranks in what facilitated full focus on the engine room.
jurgen-klopp-liverpool-premier-league
But with Joel Matip’s season-ending ACL injury in December, the long-discussed concerns regarding Liverpool’s defence were heightened, and now bolstering the backline is surely the imperative.
That said, Jarell Quansah’s rise to first-team prominence this season has eased fears in the short-term and the 20-year-old looks fit for purpose under Klopp’s wing for many years to come – as such, a new centre-back will probably arrive at the end of the campaign.
Liverpool transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo
According to Friday’s edition of French newspaper Nice-Matin – via Paisley Gates – Liverpool have the ‘advantage’ over Manchester United in the race to sign OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain also interested in the player.
Todibo is considered to be the Red Devils’ No. 1 defensive target but will require a €60m (£52m) outlay to welcome him to the squad this month, which has dissuaded the named suitors from making their move thus far.
Having wedged his way into the France national set-up ahead of the European Championship this summer, Todibo might prefer to stay put for the time being, which would allow Liverpool to swoop in after the season’s conclusion.
How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Virgil van Dijk
It’s believed that Todibo, aged 24, views Liverpool as the most attractive option, should he leave Nice in 2024, with a legendary manager in Klopp, the prestige and awe of Anfield and a first-class playing squad seemingly convincing the player of his preferred destination at this stage.
But Man United have links to Les Aiglons following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS affiliation with the French side; simply, United have technical means to edge the race and Liverpool will need to rely on the allure of the club to prevail.
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There’s a reason that many top European outfits are fighting for Todido’s services, with the Frenchman described as a “Rolls-Royce” defender by journalist and U23 scout Antonio Mango, kickstarting his career across 117 appearances with Nice after a failed spell as a youngster with Barcelona.
This season, with Nice second in Ligue 1 after 17 matches and boasting the division’s best defensive record (nine goals conceded), Todibo has been a rock in the defence, starting 14 matches, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 1.3 tackles, 3.2 clearances and 7.9 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 71% of his dribbles and 65% of his aerial duels, as per Sofascore.
Making a frankly obscene rate of recoveries each outing is an illumination of the player’s remarkable skill set, and it is not surprising at all that a player of his protean ability is now destined for a move to the Premier League.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 3 titan ranks among the top 15% of centre-halves across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and progressive passes, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 16% interceptions and the top 10% for tackles per 90.
Let’s explicate: the metrics above highlight the two-cap Les Bleus star’s eye-catching ball-playing ability while simultaneously underscoring the robustness and athleticism that has been so important to his game.
Jean-Clair Todibo: Similar PL Players
#
Player
Club
1
William Saliba
Arsenal
2
Pau Torres
Aston Villa
3
Ezri Konsa
Aston Villa
4
Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal
5
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Moreover, he is tenacious in his defensive duties and protects his goalkeeper with an iron-clad resolve in the rearguard, as shown through his tackling statistics.
With such a rounded skill set, it’s no wonder that Liverpool are interested in landing the colossus, especially given the likeness he shares with Virgil van Dijk – just imagine having a new version of the Netherlands captain welcomed to the fold.
Imagine Jean-Clair Todibo & Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton for £75m in December 2017 and he revolutionised Klopp’s squad, instilling confidence, cohesion and security across the backline and beyond, utterly magnificent in his duties and integral to the silver-laden successes of the past years.
The 32-year-old flattered to deceive last year but has returned to his apex since the summer, now donning the captain’s armband, and has been immense in the English top-flight, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 5.0 ball recoveries and 4.5 clearances per fixture and winning 78% of his duels – which, to be honest, is absurd.
Todibo is not at Van Dijk’s level and it would be foolhardy to assume that he could perform at the same imperious standard, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t reflect some of the skipper’s glowing qualities and even make improvements to edge toward a similar level in the future.
Jean-Clair Todibo vs Virgil van Dijk (23/24 Domestic Stats)
Stat (per 90)
Todibo
Van Dijk
Matches played
14
18
Goals
0
1
Pass completion %
90.5%
90.5%
Tackles
1.99
1.50
Blocks
1.47
1.39
Interceptions
1.32
1.39
Clearances
3.31
4.74
Aerial success %
62.5%
82%
Progressive passes
4.85
5.43
Progressive carries
0.74
0.98
Successful take-ons
0.74
0.06
Shot-creating actions
1.47
1.68
*Sourced via FBref’s player comparison tool
At a glance, the table above suggests that Van Dijk towers over the Nice ace, and while he bests him across many qualities, both are crisp and creative in possession and progressive with their ball-carrying.
Todibo’s stunning ratio of successful take-ons (which means how often a player beats an opponent while in possession of the ball) is also a singular and distinctive quality that only deepens the argument that he should be signed.
