Update On Wolves’ Pursuit Of This Barcelona Defender: Right Choice For Nuno Espirito Santo? | OneFootball

In a recent print edition, Sport provided an update on Wolverhampton Wanderers‘ pursuit of Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo this summer. The Spanish news outlet has listed the French centre-back as one of the players to leave the Nou Camp which could open the door for the West Midlands side to secure his signature during this summer transfer window (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness). This report follows after Sport claimed earlier this month that Wolves are in pole position to seal a move for Todibo in this off-season.

Todibo’s Impressive Loan Spell At Gelsenkirchen

The Cayenne-born defender caught the eye during his six-month loan spell with Schalke last season when he performed at a high level under David Wagner’s stewardship. He made ten senior appearances for the German outfit in the previous campaign, picking up two yellow cards across various competitions.

More importantly, Todibo did well to end his loan stay averaging 1.9 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 2.6 clearances and 1.4 dribbles per game in the 2019-20 Bundesliga season. The 20-year-old even managed to distribute possession well out from the back as he made 84.6% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).

The five-time French international has shown some promising signs during his time in Germany which seems to have caught the attention of Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo this summer. Todibo has the potential to become a capable defender at the Molineux Stadium but only if he can replicate his excellent form in the Premier League which will be easier said than done for a player as young and inexperienced as him.

What Will The Barca Starlet Add To Nuno Espirito Santo’s Team?

Standing at 1.90m, Todibo possesses the strength to outmuscle the opposition and win a lot of headers in the air. The French defensive ace has proven his worth as a decent interceptor of the ball and can even pull off some important clearances for his side at the back. However, he is still quite raw and would need time to be ready to feature at the highest level week in week out. The promising youngster is a decent ball-playing centre-half who can also step up to join in on the attack when given time and space by the opposition.

Is Todibo The Right Choice For Wolves This Summer?

Nuno Espirito Santo has currently got Conor Coady, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss, Ryan Bennett and Max Kilman fighting for one of the three coveted centre-back spots in his starting XI. However, the Portuguese head coach can benefit from adding some more competition for them by bringing a player of Todibo’s potential to the West Midlands this summer.

The talented Frenchman will bolster Wolves’ defensive options significantly and could potentially help them compete for a European place next season. Hence, Todibo might turn out to be a brilliant choice for the English club to consider during this ongoing transfer window.