Barcelona reach deal with Toulouse over Jean-Clair Todibo
Barcelona makes a deal to incorporate defender Jean-Clair Todibo now rather than in the summer as previously planned.
Jean-Clair Todibo will be wearing the Barcelona colours sooner than what was envisioned. Barcelona announced that they had reached a deal with his current club, Toulouse, to make his signing official now rather than wait for the summer.
On their website, Barcelona released a statement confirming the signing as well as alluding to the fact that he will join the club now instead of July 1 as it was previously agreed. They also included an itinerary of Todibo’s presentation which includes the official contract signing as well as photo ops.
Initially, Todibo was signed on a free transfer meaning Barcelona dealt directly with the player and his agent. Since his contract was ending in six months, they were not required to speak with Toulouse.
The French side was unhappy with Barcelona but there was nothing they could do. However, they well aware of the contract situation regarding Todibo and that he was not going to renew. Similar to what happened with Munir and Adrien Rabiot, it was decided that Todibo would no longer play with the club.
That is the main reason why Barcelona decided to accelerate his signing. They were worried that Todibo being sidelined for six months would stunt his development. He has not featured since November when he declined to come to terms on a new contract. According to a report from ESPN, Barcelona will pay Toulouse around €2 million for Todibo and his contract will run until 2023.
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The plan for Todibo was to arrive in the summer and then Barcelona would loan him out so he could gain experience. With him coming during the winter transfer window, plans had to change. Mundo Deportivo report that the 19-year old will stay with Barcelona for the remainder of the season with a loan move out of the question. With the new found depth at centre-back, perhaps he will see playing time with Barcelona B. At his age, he is certainly a signing for the future.