Liverpool are in the hunt for a center back.

"Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Nice central defender Jean-Claude Todivo, 24, according to British media outlet The Boot Room. The Reds see him as a possible successor to Virgil van Dijk."

Todibo is a quick-footed defender with great height at 6-foot-3, who can cover at the back and mark strikers one-on-one.

Todibo made his Barcelona debut in 2019, when he was 20 years old, but struggled to get game time straight away. He spent time on loan at Schalke, Benfica, and Nice before being sold outright to Nice in 2021.

At Nice, Todibo blossomed. He started 14 of the 17 league games in the 2023-2024 season and developed into a key defender for Nice, who finished second in Ligue 1.

Tottenham were also targeting Todibo, but with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United already in the mix, they turned to Genoa's Radu Dragucin, 21, who recently announced his arrival.

Nice is willing to sell Todivo this month, according to The Boot Room. They have set a ransom of 60 million euros ($86.4 billion).

"Liverpool see Todivo as a long-term replacement for van Dijk," the outlet added. Van Dijk is regaining his form, but he is 32 years old," explaining that the Reds need to find a replacement for the inevitable aging curve, and Todivo is that player.

The Boot Room went 스포츠토토 on to say that if Liverpool can't get Todibo in January, they should try to keep him in the summer.

"Todibo hasn't had the best of times at Barcelona, but he's been outstanding at Nice. He is a more mature player than he was four or five years ago. And he is only 24 years old. He will be in his prime in the coming years."