Much-coveted Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo has refused to close the door on a move to the Premier League and has claimed that he does not want to give supporters "false hope" by committing his future to Les Aiglons.
The former Barcelona man is one of the hottest properties on the Ligue 1 market thanks to a spate of stellar displays for Francesco Farioli's side, who have assumed the role of defensive powerhouses in the current campaign.
Sitting second in the table behind Paris Saint-Germain, Nice have only conceded 11 goals from their opening 20 games in the French top flight, the best record in the division and in Europe's top-five leagues.
Todibo's partnership with 40-year-old captain Dante has been pivotal to Nice's rearguard excellence, as the Frenchman has helped Farioli's men keep 11 clean sheets from 16 Ligue 1 appearances in the 2023-24 season.
Since arriving at the Allianz Riviera from Barcelona on an initial loan deal in January 2021 - which was made permanent that same summer - Todibo has totalled 121 appearances for Nice, scoring two goals and registering two assists in the process.
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As things stand, Champions League football will be on offer for Todibo at Nice in the 2024-25 season, and he is still contracted to Les Aiglons for another two-and-a-half years.
However, the 24-year-old has long been linked with a lucrative move to England's top flight, with both Man United and Chelsea thought to have been running the rule over him during his time at Nice.
Les Aiglons successfully rebuffed interest in their jewel during the January transfer window, but the French club will be braced for a flurry of bids in the summer, and Todibo has revealed that he will wait until the summer before deciding on his next career move.
"I am at Nice and we're having a great season. I don't have my head elsewhere. If I did it would be difficult for me personally and for the group too," The Mirror quotes Todibo as saying.
"I feel really good at Nice. We'll see what happens in the summer but we're not there yet. I don't want to get ahead of myself. I don't want to give false hope. For now, I'm here at Nice.
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"Football moves quickly, you never know what's going to happen. I'll wait until the summer to make my decision. If my decision is to stay, I'll announce it, if it is to leave, I'll announce it too and I'll thank everyone, but we're not there yet."
With Nice under the control of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, whose 25% stake in Man United is expected to be ratified by the Premier League in the coming days, the Red Devils have been regarded as the favourites to poach the Frenchman from Les Aiglons.
Erik ten Hag could be waving goodbye to a number of his existing centre-backs this summer, as both Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans are due to depart as free agents as things stand, and the Dutchman recently revealed that the club have not made a decision on either of their situations just yet.
In addition, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof's long-term futures are yet to be resolved, and while Lisandro Martinez's place in the ranks is safe, the Argentine has been plagued by two foot issues and a fresh knee injury over the past year.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's 39-year-old veteran Thiago Silva is also in the final six months of his deal, while Malang Sarr and Trevoh Chalobah could be sold in the upcoming window to make way for Todibo.
