RB Leipzig have identified Barcelona-owned defender Jean-Clair Todibo to replace Dayot Upamecano this summer, report El Mundo Deportivo.
The Frenchman is on loan at Leipzig’s Bundesliga rivals Schalke but they appear to be unable to meet the central defender’s €25m valuation and he is likely to be sold permanently this summer.
It follows on from a report in Diario Sport that the Blaugrana view Todibo as a ‘gold mine’ amid strong interest from Everton, Southampton and Roma.
Roma are said to be hopeful of the signing due to the good relations between the respective club boards, following on from the signing of Carles Perez in January.
Bayer Leverkusen, Milan, Watford, and Monaco are other clubs said to be monitoring the situation.
The player joined Schalke on loan in January on a short-term loan deal and €1.5m fee, with the German side able to make that permanent this summer – in a deal which would include a €50m buyback for Barca – but now everything has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic and economic impacts in football.
Todibo only joined the Catalan giants in January last year, ending a long running contractual dispute with previous club Toulouse in Ligue 1.
The 20-year-old has only been involved in four La Liga matches across the calendar year – with two of his three starts coming after the league title was secured last season.
After being forced to play with the youth team at Toulouse, following his standoff with the club’s management, he was short of match fitness when he arrived at the Camp Nou but was never granted a run in the first-team.
