Chelsea ignite Man Utd transfer battle, with Ten Hag target to succeed brilliant Blues ace

Jean-Clair Todibo and Florian Wirtz, France vs Germany

Chelsea have joined Manchester United in chasing Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo after identifying him as a perfect successor to Thiago Silva, according to reports.

Silva came to the Premier League in August 2020 by joining Chelsea on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The centre-back is now 39 years old, but he remains one of the most reliable defenders in England.

Overall, Silva has made 128 appearances for Chelsea, helping them to win the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Silva’s brilliance is shown by pretty much every Chelsea manager playing him regularly, and that is once again the case under Mauricio Pochettino. The Brazilian has started every single one of Chelsea’s Premier League matches so far this season.

Despite Silva’s age-defying performances, the Blues must still prepare for his eventual departure from Stamford Bridge. His contract with them expires at the end of the season, and he has not hidden his love for former club Fluminense.

The recent Copa Libertadores winners are trying to convince Silva to head back to his homeland, but it remains to be seen whether he will push to sign a new contract at Chelsea or join a different club in Europe.

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Whatever happens, Chelsea have begun the search for his potential successor in defence. According to The Sun, the West London side have registered their interest in Nice’s Todibo, who was on Barcelona’s books between January 2019 and July 2021.

While Todibo’s time at the Nou Camp did not go to plan, he has since reinvigorated his career at Nice. And his top performances have alerted senior Chelsea recruitment chiefs to a potential deal.

Chelsea, Man Utd target set to be on the move

Chelsea’s pursuit of the 23-year-old is boosted by the fact that Nice are gradually warming to the idea of selling him. They know that next summer would probably be the best time to part ways, while Todibo’s stock is high.

Todibo moving to Chelsea would see Erik ten Hag miss out on a major target at Man Utd. Ten Hag is a fan of him and believes he could replace either Raphael Varane or Harry Maguire in the Man Utd squad.

And when it originally emerged that Nice were preparing to put Todibo on the market, Man Utd were named as his primary suitors. But that has now changed, with Pochettino’s side bursting into the frame.

The Frenchman would be able to slot into Chelsea’s defence fairly smoothly, should the Blues manage to win the race for his services. After all, current Chelsea defenders Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana are compatriots of his. Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu and Christopher Nkunku make up the rest of the French contingent in the Chelsea squad.

While Ten Hag will be disappointed if Todibo heads to Stamford Bridge, there are other centre-backs on Man Utd’s radar. The Red Devils are known to be admirers of rising Portugal defender Antonio Silva, who currently represents Benfica.

Tuesday’s Euro Paper Talk also includes Man Utd re-entering the mix to sign a Juventus centre-half.