Liverpool chiefs receive unlikely favors from Manchester United in pursuit of transfer target

Liverpool could receive a favor from the unlikely source of arch-rivals Manchester United as UEFA ruled that a rumored Reds transfer 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 a name on their radar. The Frenchman has long been a name touted for a move to a European giant following his solid performances in Ligue 1.

Over the past four seasons in his homeland, the former Barcelona centre-back has made 100 appearances in the French top-flight. Following his outstanding efforts on the Cote d’Azur, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe is understood to have earmarked the 24-year-old for a potential move to England this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News.

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However, his plans to sign the top-rated two-time international have been scuppered as INEOS tycoon confirmed that UEFA will not allow any move to United. This came as a result of the European football body’s crackdown on deals between outfits involved in multi-club partnerships.

The Court Chamber of UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (ICFC Court Chamber) previously emphasized in July 2023 that such transactions would not be permitted between any club that “owns or trades, directly or indirectly, securities or shares of any other club participating in a UEFA club competition’.

Reflecting on the current state of the game, Ratcliffe discussed the issue as he confirmed that plans to sign an unnamed player from Nice have been ruled out. He told Bloomberg: “They said we can sell him to another Premiership club but we can’t sell to Manchester United. But that’s not fair to the player and I don’t see what that achieves.”

With INEOS being the majority owners of Nice, along with owning a 27.7% stake in United in February, it appears that the decision-makers have hardly criticized the two clubs as they have refused to allow transfers between the teams. However, this could inadvertently leave the door open for rivals the Red Devils to swoop in and strike a deal for the in-demand Todibo.

Given the intensity of the rivalry between United and Liverpool, direct transfers between both clubs are a rarity – the last occurring when Phil Chisnall crossed the East Lancashire Road division in 1964. While any hypothetical move for the Nice centre-back would unless we bring that 60-year-old circumstance, it remains to be seen whether Ratcliffe’s INEOS would allow the player to leave for Merseyside.

However, with the current FA Cup holders in the running 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 number of boxes in terms of his attributes, Edwards and Hughes could do a lot worse than pursuing a deal for Todibo.