Official: Barcelona complete fourth transfer on deadline day
Barcelona have signed Jean-Clair Todibo six months early
Barcelona had earlier announced a pre-contract agreement with 19-year old French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, allowing the defender to join the club in the summer transfer window after his contract at Toulouse expired. But the move has been expedited.
Barça have negotiated a fee with Toulouse for the immediate transfer of Todibo on deadline day of the January transfer window. This comes after the youngster spent almost three months training with the reserves at Toulouse and warming the bench, due to his refusal to sign a new deal.
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The club realised the danger of having a player of such potential sitting on the bench for such a long period of time. He needs to play as much as possible. Since that is not going to be happen at Toulouse, it was imperative that the club brought him in in January itself.
Todibo will take the number of centre-backs in the first-team squad to six, if the management decides that the starlet is ready for the plunge. But in all probability, he will play with Barça B till the end of the season and compete with La Masia graduate Chumi for game time.
This move will pit Todibo against his direct competitor for his future role in the first-team squad, as the successor to club legend Gerard Piqué. It will significantly aid his development, as well as build up familiarity with the surroundings in the Catalan capital.
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Todibo’s transfer is the fourth move made by the club on deadline day, and the fifth in the entire transfer window.