Newcastle United should prioritise a move for Jean-Clair Todibo over Oumar Solet in this transfer window, with Eddie Howe targeting a new centre-back.
Todibo, Solet and Edmond Tapsoba have all been linked with the Magpies, with Howe keen on another option to support Fabian Schar and Sven Botman at the back, but none of the three will come cheaply.
There is a clear strategy in place with all three players, as they are all playing regularly in a top European League, and are between 23 and 24 years of age.
It seems likely that they will come in as competition, and perhaps as a long-term replacement for Schar, and all three defenders have their merits.
Which defender should Newcastle choose?
Out of the three options, Tapsoba is the most experienced, having played in the Europa League for Bayer Leverkusen and Vitoria Guimaraes, whilst Todibo has played in Spain, Germany and France with Barcelona, Schalke and Nice.
Todibo ranks highly for dribbles and tackles, and can be a front-footed, aggressive partner for Botman. Todibo also excels at passing, and his elite ability on the ball separates him from the other two
The Frenchman could be available for around £34m as a minimum, and at just 23, would be the ideal long-term replacement for Schar.
Whilst Tapsoba also excels on the ball, he ranks significantly lower for his tackling ability, and this does raise questions about whether he could suit Newcastle’s style better than Todibo.
Whilst Solet is talented, the Salzburg defender falls way behind the other two in terms of experience, and Howe may want a more proven option to come in this summer.
It is clear that any defender who joins now will need to be strong defensively and adept on the ball, and all three fit these criteria, but Todibo arguably has the biggest potential to succeed out of the options, and he has a point to prove in the Champions League after being let go by Barcelona in 2021.
