Barcelona starlet Jean-Clair Todibo has left Camp Nou to join Nice on a permanent transfer as La Blaugrana pushes to lower their salary costs ahead of the upcoming season.
The 21-year-old spent the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan in Nice, and the French side inserted a purchase clause in the deal.
And Barça confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the Ligue 1 outfit has chosen to activate that clause, which means that he will leave the Catalan giants for a fee of 8.5 million euros, plus an additional 7 million euros in addition. La Blaugrana will also receive a percentage of any future sales.
Todibo joined Barcelona in July 2019 and arrived from Toulouse with a free transfer. He spent six months on loan at Bundesliga side Schalke and the start of the 2020/21 campaign with Benfica. He did not take part in the Portuguese top flight at all, and he ended his loan spell prematurely before joining Nice in February 2021.
The midfielder has now found his permanent home for the foreseeable future, while Barça will receive a decent fee with the possibility of even more money depending on his success in Ligue 1. This transfer will be a great relief for club president Joan Laporta, as he continues to try to reduce their current wage cost.
Todibo has left Barcelona / John Berry / Getty Images
Barça are in serious financial trouble and are desperate to download as many fringe players as possible this summer. People like Martin Braithwaite, Junior Firpo and Samuel Umtiti are a selection of the stars on the transfer list this summer, while their high earnings may be asked to take pay cuts.
Gerard Pique is believed to be the first Blaugrana star to have met Laporta and agreed to lower his salary, and many more will have to do the same. Barça are also negotiating a new contract with Lionel Messi, whose contract expires in a few days.
