Manchester United 'lead
Tottenham Hotspur' in the race to sign OGC Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo ahead of the January transfer window. That is according to a report by
Football Insider , which claims United , who face Bayern Munich in the
Champions League on Tuesday night, have climbed into 'pole position in recent hours'. Signing a new centre-back is poised to be a leading priority for the Reds in 2024. Uncertainty currently surrounds Raphael Varane's future at Old Trafford and Victor Lindelof is understood to be hungry to store more minutes under his belt. It means work in the centre-back department is likely to be required in M16 next year. READ MORE: Erik ten Hag claims he protected United culture with Jadon Sancho decision READ MORE: What Erik ten Hag said to Harry Maguire over summer transfer Todibo, 23, has been heavily linked with a move to United in the last few months and reports have only increased as a result of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's impending investment at Old Trafford. The
British billionaire already owns Nice through INEOS Sport, of course. Todibo, who is deemed is as one of the most promising defenders in Europe, has been a key player for Nice in the last couple of years, racking up 115 appearances for the club in all competitions. He has played 12 times so far this term. Reports elsewhere in recent weeks have claimed that Nice value him at around the £40million mark. He joined Nice from
Barcelona in 2021, initially on loan. Meanwhile, United have 'not held talks' with Borussia Dortmund to discuss the prospect of a swap deal involving Jadon Sancho and Donyell Malen. That is according to a report by 90min , which claims the latter has been 'offered' to the Reds. There has been a recent increase in speculation over the last few days, claiming that United and Dortmund had entered discussions to talk about the prospect of a January swap deal between the two attackers. Sancho is poised to leave United in January after a public fallout with Erik ten Hag back in September and he has been linked with a return to Dortmund. Malen, who joined Dortmund from PSV Eindhoven in 2021, has, as a result, been linked with a move to Old Trafford as part of a trade deal between the two clubs. However, this latest report has played down those suggestions, though it claims Malen has been 'offered' to the Reds by intermediaries as they test the water of a potential
Premier League move. However, it claims United have not made a move for the Dutchman so far. Malen, 24, has made 19 appearances for Dortmund so far this term, scoring five goals.