Chelsea to rival Spurs and Man United for Ligue 1 defender

Chelsea ended 2023 on a high with a 3-2 victory over Luton Town on Saturday. 

The Blues have endured a difficult year having finished 12th in the Premier League table last season, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now won back-to-back league games.

Cole Palmer starred for the Blues at Kenilworth Road, scoring either side of a Noni Madueke goal – assisted by Palmer – to give Chelsea victory.

Chelsea’s first game of 2024 will be against Championship side Preston North End in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, before a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie against Middlesbrough.

In the meantime, the West London club have entered into the race to sign Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, according to TEAMtalk.

The report claims that the Blues have joined Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the race to sign Todibo, 24.

Todibo has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs

Having joined Nice from Spanish side Barcelona in 2021, Todibo has now made 117 appearances for the French side across all competitions.

He has established himself as one of the best defenders in the French top flight in recent seasons, but his performances haven’t gone unnoticed and clubs from England have shown significant interest.

Fellow French centre-backs Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile have both been signed by Chelsea over the past 12 months, but the report claims that owner Todd Boehly is still keen to add to Pochettino’s squad.

Since taking charge of the club in the summer of 2022, Boehly and the rest of the club’s ownership have spent more than £1 billion on new signings.

Their spending isn’t likely to stop any time soon, though, and it is claimed that the Blues will pursue Todibo this month in a bid to bolster Pochettino’s defensive options.

Todibo’s current contract is set to run until 2027, but he has also attracted interest from clubs across Europe.