West Ham are reportedly ‘confident’ of signing a top star but Man United are surely pulling the strings behind the scenes.
West Ham and Manchester United are both on the hunt for two new centre-backs this summer.
The Hammers have let Angelo Ogbonna go and have sold Thilo Kehrer to Monaco.
New head coach Julen Lopetegui – who was linked with Man United before he was appointed by West Ham – is also said to be keen to sell Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.
Max Kilman is reportedly a mutual target for both the Hammers and the Red Devils.
Erik ten Hag meanwhile reportedly wants to sell Victor Lindelof and has been linked with a move for Matthijs de Ligt.
West Ham and Man United also share another mutual central defensive target, though.
West Ham and Man United want two new centre-backs
Manchester United’s new co-owners INEOS have been trying to do a deal for Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
It is claimed Nice are – who are owned by INEOS – are selling Todibo even though a move to Manchester United has been blocked by UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
Sensing an opportunity, West Ham – who have been linked with 24-year-old Frenchman Todibo in the past – sensed an opportunity.
Because, as reported by the likes of L’Equipe, Nice rejected an offer from the Hammers this week.
Hammers News reported yesterday that the club’s hierarchy are now pondering a second bid for Todibo.
Now West Ham are said to be ‘confident’ of signing the star but Man United are surely pulling the strings.
West Ham ‘confident’ of signing Todibo after bid
According to The Athletic, West Ham are sure they will be able to sign Todibo.
“There is still belief that a deal can be concluded for the Frenchman, with Nice open to cashing-in on him in this summer window,” Tom Burrows states.
The report states that INEOS, Man United and Nice chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not name Todibo directly, but confirmed the Old Trafford side cannot currently buy directly from Nice due to the ownership situation.
As a result cynics are already understandably suggesting that if West Ham do sign former Barcelona flop Todibo, it would essentially be a deal to “park” him in east London, then allowing Man United to sign him at a later date.
Otherwise why would INEOS sanction the move for a player they want to bring to Man United in the first place.
West Ham may well be happy with such an arrangement of course if it means they get a quality player in with a guaranteed profit after a season or so?
Man United are surely pulling the strings
But Hammers fans may be concerned by such short-termism. After all the expectation is that Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten are building a young, hungry new-look West Ham side.
As is evident by some of the very questionable deals being done across the Premier League to get around PSR restrictions, clubs are trying to find any loopholes they can.
It would be in the interests of INEOS if they sold Todibo to West Ham with an agreement he would then be sold on to Man United next summer.
Deals of that nature have been commonplace in Spain and Italy for decades.
Some may not be comfortable with West Ham effectively being a nursery for the player. Others may feel it makes perfect sense for all parties.
In this case Man United would be the puppet masters and the Hammers the puppets.
But if Lopetegui gets a top player for a season and West Ham’s owners make a decent profit for the arrangement, then it could be a sensible deal all around.
Fans can see what Todibo might bring in the video below.
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