Barcelona snap up budding French defender Todibo

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona will sign promising French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo on a free transfer from French top flight outfit Toulouse this summer, the Spanish club announced on Tuesday. 

The 19-year-old who models himself on Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian centre-half Thiago Silva will move to Barca on July 1. 

He only made his first-team debut in August and has played 10 times in Ligue 1 this season. 

Born in French Guyana Todibo has also played for the French under-20 side twice. 

A Barcelona statement read: “Barcelona have reached an agreement with the French player Jean-Clair Todibo for him to join the Club from 1 July 2019. 

“The player’s contract with Toulouse ends on 30 June this year and so he will join on a free transfer.” 

It added: “he comes to Barcelona as one of the most promising players in European football in his position.” 

Todibo joins fellow French defenders Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet at Barcelona. 

Central defence, however, has proven a problem area for the club this season, with Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen both out injured. 

According to Barcelona’s statement, Todibo is “a tall, right-footed defender, who can play at centre back and also in the centre of the midfield.”