Liverpool chiefs receive unlikely favor from Manchester United in transfer target chase

Liverpool may be handed a favor from the unlikely source of arch-rivals Manchester United as UEFA ruled that one rumored Reds transfer target will not be allowed to move to Old Trafford.

With Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes now tasked with working alongside Arne Slot to identify potential new additions this summer, Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo could be one name on their radar. The Frenchman has long been a name touted with a move to a European giant as a result of his solid performances in Ligue 1.

Over the past four seasons in his homeland, the former Barcelona center-back has made 100 appearances in the French top flight. As a result of his sterling efforts on the Cote d'Azur, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe is understood to have shortlisted the 24-year-old for a potential transfer to England this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News.

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However, his plans to sign the highly-rated two-time international have been scuppered as the INEOS tycoon confirmed that UEFA will not be permitting any move to United. This has come about as a result of a crackdown from the European football body over deals between outfits involved in multi-club partnerships.

The Trial Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (ICFC Trial Chamber) previously outlined in July 2023 that such deals would not be permitted between any club that 'owns or trades, directly or indirectly, in securities or shares of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition'.

Reflecting on the current state of play, Ratcliffe discussed the matter while confirming that plans to sign an unnamed player from Nice had been outlawed. He told Bloomberg: "They’ve said we can sell him to another Premiership club, but we can't sell to Manchester United. But that's not fair on the player and I don’t see what that achieves."

As INEOS are the majority owners of Nice, alongside holding a stake of 27.7% in United as of February, it appears that decision makers have come down hard on the two clubs as they refused to allow transfers between the teams. However, this could inadvertently leave the door open for the Red Devils' rivals to swoop in and potentially strike a deal for the in-demand Todibo.

Given the intensity of the rivalry between United and Liverpool, direct transfers between both clubs are something of a rarity - with the last one occurring as Phil Chisnall crossed the East Lancashire Road divide in 1964. While any hypothetical move for the Nice center-back would not bring that 60-year stand-off to a close, it does remain be seen whether Ratcliffe's INEOS would allow the player to depart for Merseyside.

Either way, with the current FA Cup holders out of the race for the defender's signature, a swoop for one of the continent's standout defensive talents would make a lot of sense for Liverpool. Ticking a host of boxes in terms of his attributes, Edwards and Hughes could do a lot worse than pursue a deal for Todibo.