Erik ten Hag makes £34m transfer decision amid Harry Maguire's Man Utd stance

23 August 2023 , 23:56

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Erik ten Hag makes £34m transfer decision amid Harry Maguire's Man Utd stance

Manchester United are nearing a £34million deal for OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo despite the fact that Harry Maguire now looks set to stay at the club.

Manager Erik ten Hag is keen to bolster his backline and though the efforts to offload Maguire appear to have failed, interest in Todibo has remained strong throughout the summer. Ex-club captain Maguire seemed destined to join West Ham earlier on in the window, but failed to agree personal terms with the Hammers.

United had actually accepted a £30m offer for Maguire, but talks broke down between the player and the club. That served as a blow to Ten Hag's transfer plans in terms of incomings, given the offer submitted by West Ham would have nearly covered the entire fee for Todibo.

Bayern Munich ace Benjamin Pavard was shortlisted as the first-choice for Maguire replacements, but with the England talent staying put and the Frenchman bound for Inter Milan, United have been forced to divert their attentions elsewhere.

According to French outlet L'Equipe, United are nearing an agreement with Nice and Todibo is believed to be keen on the switch to Old Trafford. Ten Hag is an admirer of the young Frenchmen's technical ability and tendency to play out from the back.

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It is his composure on the ball that really makes Todibo stand out, with the 23-year-old boasting a pass accuracy of 89 per-cent or higher with an average of 57 passes per-game last term.

Were the Red Devils to sign Todibo before next Friday's deadline, it would see United's total spending for the summer surpass the £200m tally. Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund have all already arrived in the red half of Manchester

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Jean-Clair Todibo has emerged as a potential target for Manchester United (Getty Images)

With that being said, there are a number of members within the current crop at Old Trafford that could still leave and generate funds or be used to balance the books after a window of heavy spending. All three of Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay have been linked with moves elsewhere.

Club legend Gary Neville has made clear that he feels his former side need another midfielder through the door rather than another defender like Todibo and will have to sell before signing off on any more incomings.

He said: "Ten Hag wants a number six who can play alongside Casemiro and at the moment the club can't get players out to be able to fund that. If they look at the first two weeks, they have to fund it or there will be big problems."

Josh O'Brien