Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that West Ham United are on the verge of completing the permanent signing of a player who was extremely close to joining Manchester United earlier this year.
West Ham’s summer transfer window was significant, with no fewer than nine new first-team signings.
The club secured permanent deals for Wes Foderingham, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Luis Guilherme, Crysencio Summerville, and Niclas Fullkrug.
Additionally, Jean-Clair Todibo and Carlos Soler joined the club on loan.
Todibo, 24, initially seemed destined to join Manchester United. The French center-back was viewed as a perfect addition to strengthen United’s defense.
Given that Nice, his club at the time, shares the same INEOS ownership as Manchester United, the transfer appeared straightforward.
However, despite the deal being 99 percent complete, UEFA blocked the move, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
Romano explained that “Jean-Clair Todibo was 99 percent a new Manchester United player.” He added, “Everything was finalized, including on the player’s side, but it all fell apart due to UEFA rules.”
The issue arose because UEFA prohibits clubs with the same ownership from transferring players between each other if they are competing in the same European competition.
Both Manchester United and Nice are set to play in the Europa League this season, which led to the deal being blocked.
Manchester United had everything in place for Todibo’s arrival before the FA Cup final at Wembley, but after UEFA’s intervention, the club shifted focus.
Speculation about Manchester United pursuing legal action over the blocked transfer was quickly dismissed.
The club moved on to other defensive targets, including Leny Yoro and Matthijs De Ligt.
Meanwhile, Juventus attempted to secure Todibo’s signature after Manchester United withdrew.
However, West Ham’s sporting director, Tim Steidten, surprised many by hijacking Juventus’ interest, leading to Todibo’s eventual move to West Ham on a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy.
Conditional obligations in transfer deals are becoming more common.
For example, Jadon Sancho’s loan move from Manchester United to Chelsea contains a similar clause, which will be activated if Chelsea finishes 14th or higher in the Premier League this season—a highly likely scenario.
Similarly, West Ham’s conditional obligation to buy Todibo is said to be just as easily achievable, according to Romano.
Romano provided an update, confirming that West Ham’s obligation to buy Todibo will be triggered “soon.”
He stated, “The obligation to buy clause (€40m) in Jean-Clair Todibo’s deal with West Ham from OGC Nice is very easy to reach, almost guaranteed.”
He further added that Todibo can already be considered “100 percent a West Ham player.”
The buyout clause is valued at €40 million (approximately £34 million or $44 million).
While the specific conditions required to trigger the clause have not been disclosed, it is expected to be activated in the near future.
Once the clause is triggered, Todibo will officially sign with West Ham on a permanent basis.
He has already agreed to the terms of a five-year contract, which will begin after the 2024/25 season and run until 2030.
This transfer represents a major win for West Ham, who managed to secure a player who came incredibly close to joining Manchester United and fended off competition from Juventus.
Todibo is set to become a key player in West Ham’s defense, and his imminent permanent signing solidifies the club’s ambition to compete at both domestic and European levels.
