Manchester United and Tottenham are on red alert with Chelsea ready to enter the race for Jean-Clair Todibo, according to reports.
The three Premier League clubs are tracking the Nice defender, who looks set to depart the Allianz Riviera this month or in the summer.
At one point Tottenham were thought to be at the front of the queue to acquire Todibo, who was a fringe member of Barcelona's La Liga-winning squad of 2018/19.
But transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Spurs could be about to pull out of the race due to the difficulty of getting a deal done quickly.
The north Londoners are poised to turn their attention to Genoa's Radu Dragusin, potentially clearing the path for one of Manchester United or Chelsea.
United were linked with Todibo last summer, but Harry Maguire's decision to stay at Old Trafford meant a move for the 24-year-old was not feasible.
But the Red Devils could try again this month now that Jim Ratcliffe has completed his purchase of a minority stake in the club.
However, Foot Mercato report that Chelsea have now emerged as contenders to land Todibo, who has been compared to Raphael Varane in France.
The Blues have not been shy to splash the cash in the first 18 months of Todd Boehly's ownership and Mauricio Pochettino wants to bolster his squad in the winter window.
The French publication state that Pochettino is not content with the defensive options at his disposal, with Todibo among his top targets.
Chelsea already have a relationship with the player's agent, Bruno Satin, and informal talks have already begun.
Todibo is under contract at Nice until 2027, with the French club likely to demand at least £40m for the France international.
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