Summary Liverpool will likely target a new centre-half in January due to Joel Matip's season-ending injury and lack of defensive cover. Jean-Clair Todibo, a central defender from OGC Nice, has been linked with a move to Liverpool and could be a suitable replacement for Matip. Todibo's ball-playing abilities and defensive qualities make him a strong contender to fill the void left by Matip and maintain Liverpool's competitive edge in the title race.

Liverpool's gritty victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Wednesday evening was marred by the news that Joel Matip will likely be out for the season after rupturing his ACL against Fulham.

Jurgen Klopp needs cover defensively and Anfield will likely target the acquisition of a new centre-half in January, having surged into title contention over the opening months of the 2023/24 campaign without actually clicking into full gear yet.

Of course, the same could be said for Arsenal, who are two points ahead of the Reds in first place in the Premier League, with Aston Villa third after dispatching Manchester City in a statement victory.

Pep Guardiola's team are languishing by their almighty standards – six points off the top after 15 fixtures – yet hold an eternally daunting presence at the forefront of the table and will be many observers' favourites still; the treble winners might be winless in four games, but time and time again they have proved their mettle and blitzed into staggering veins of form after the new year.

Liverpool have what it takes to venture deep into the campaign and maintain the pace in the race for the trophy, but it would be foolish to rely on just Ibrahima Konate – who has proved himself to be injury-prone during his time on Merseyside; Joe Gomez – who has often been utilised at full-back this term; and 20-year-old Jarell Quansah, who is immensely talented but still young.

As such, Liverpool might be wise to accelerate their interest in flourishing OGC Nice central defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League in 2023.

Liverpool transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

Last week, the Evening Standard revealed that Todibo, aged 23, has been on the radar of Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur after impressing in Ligue 1, with Nice happy to enter negotiations if their £39m valuation is met.

While the Frenchman would be interested in a move to the Premier League, he is wary that a mid-season transfer would disrupt the regular match action that has earned him his first senior call-up to Les Bleus' national squad, with the European Championships taking place next summer.

But with Matip now likely to be out for the season and out of contract in June, Todibo may well be enticed by a move to join Klopp's project, with a clear pathway to prominence at the forefront of the European game.

Jean-Clair Todibo's season in numbers

Across the entirety of his Nice career, the 6 foot 3 colossus has completed 115 appearances, and while he is still young enough to be nurtured and moulded by Klopp, there is a sturdy base from which a brilliant career can be sculpted.

This season, Les Aiglons have been spectacular and are perched in second place after 14 matches, having lost just once and shipped only five goals – which stands for the best defensive record in the division.

Todibo, naturally, has been a big part of the efforts in the rearguard, making good on past praise from talent scout Jacek Kulig that he is as "solid as a rock", now marrying his defensive duties with an innate ball-playing ability that stems from his Barcelona days.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Aerial duels

Tackling

*Sourced via WhoScored

As per Sofascore, across his 12 Ligue 1 appearances in 2023/24, Todibo has completed 90% of his passes, averaged 1.9 tackles, 7.9 ball recoveries and 3.1 clearances per game and succeeded in 73% of his dribble attempts and 60% of his contested duels.

Over the past year, the £19k-per-week titan ranks among the top 7% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues for passes attempted, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

His innate ball-playing traits are understandably causing the aforementioned Premier League outfits to start preparing winter efforts to secure his signature.

Once proclaimed to be a "Rolls-Royce" of a centre-back by journalist Antonio Mango, Todibo really does look like he offers the modern skill-set to replace Matip, and given the rival Premier League interest, Liverpool would be wise to take their admiration to the next level.

How Jean-Clair Todibo could replace Joel Matip

With skills suited for a possession-based, progressive style, Todibo would be an excellent addition to the Liverpool fold going forward, offering qualities not too dissimilar to Matip.

The 32-year-old has amassed 201 appearances for Liverpool – scoring 11 goals and providing six assists – and has been crucial throughout the entirety of Klopp's illustrious reign, earning praise from Virgil van Dijk for his "unbelievable" level of performance back in 2019.

Matip ranks among the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90, emphasising just how different a style he holds at his core, always eager to progress the ball forward and influence the play from an attacking standpoint.

This season, he has started nine of Liverpool's first 15 top-flight fixtures, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 5.8 recoveries per game and remarkably winning 74% of his aerial duels.

Stats (per 90)

Jean-Clair Todibo

Joel Matip

Matches played

12

10

Assists

0.09

0.00

Pass completion

93%

89%

Passes attempted

94

68

Tackles

1.97

1.38

Interceptions

1.37

1.03

Clearances

3.42

4.94

Blocks

1.54

1.84

Progressive carries

0.85

0.92

Progressive passes

4.79

3.91

Shot-creating actions

1.62

0.92

*Sourced via FBref

As the table portrays above, Todibo matches Matip punch for punch when comparing the respective defenders' possession metrics and aptitude in progressing the play up the pitch.

By welcoming the two-cap France international to Anfield, Klopp could maintain the presence that has been a staple of Liverpool's exploits over the past years – nine years Matip's junior, Todibo feels like a natural successor.

The Reds do have the security of Konate and co at the moment, but it's very clear that greater depth is needed to ensure that Arsenal are leapfrogged and a route toward the Premier League title becomes tangible as the campaign draws on.