Everton closing in on Barcelona star after triggering €25m exit clause

Everton are reportedly close to completing the signing of Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo for an initial €20m with €5m in add-ons.

The 20-year-old is currently on loan at Bundesliga outfit Schlake, who had been hoping to make the deal permanent this summer, but the coronavirus pandemic means they no longer afford to trigger the player’s €25m purchase option.

The player joined Schalke in January on a short-term loan deal worth €1.5m, with the German side able to make that permanent this summer, but they are now pushing for another loan deal instead.

Todibo only joined the Catalan giants in January last year, ending a long-running contractual dispute with previous club Toulouse.

The young defender has only been involved in four LaLiga matches across the calendar year – with two of his three starts coming after the league title was wrapped up last season.

Todibo could be set to join up with three more former Barca stars at Goodison Park, with Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes also plying their trade on Merseyside.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has been looking to reinforce his defence, which has struggled all season, and it would appear that Todibo fits the bill.

Meanwhile, Everton defender Mason Holgate has opened up on why a trial with Manchester United before his move to the Toffees did not work out.

The centre-back has been in fantastic form this season, becoming one of the first names on Carlo Ancelotti’s teamsheet, but the 23-year-old has revealed how things could have been all so different.

Before making the move to Goodison Park in the summer of 2015 from Barnsley, Holgate had a trial with United and has discussed why things did not go his way. Read more…