West Ham Secures Loan Deal for Defender Jean-Clair Todibo

West Ham United has struck an agreement with French club Nice to bring in defender Jean-Clair Todibo on an initial loan deal. This arrangement includes an option to buy for £35 million, paving the way for Todibo to potentially make his move permanent in the future.

As of Friday, Todibo has traveled to London and is set to undergo a medical examination. Fortunately for West Ham fans, his personal terms are expected to go through without any hiccups.

West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, played a crucial role in finalizing this deal, having had extensive discussions with Todibo in the past 24 hours that seemed to have convinced him to join the Hammers. Despite the interest from Juventus, who have been contemplating a deal, they have struggled to reach an agreement with Nice.

Earlier this summer, West Ham had attempted to negotiate a loan with an option to buy Todibo for a fee around €32 million (£27 million). At that time, it appeared that the player was keeping his options open, hoping for a move to Juventus.

With Kurt Zouma reportedly set to undergo a medical ahead of a transfer to UAE club Shabab Al Ahli, West Ham is actively looking to fill in the gap in their defense by signing Todibo. Meanwhile, Manchester United had shown interest in Todibo but found themselves unable to proceed due to the complexities involving INEOS, which co-owns both United and Nice.

The summer transfer window officially closes on August 30 at 11 PM UK time, with West Ham eager to finalize the deal for Todibo as soon as possible. This coincides with an early transfer deadline in the Premier League, aimed at aligning with other major leagues across Europe.