West Ham’s £25m bid for Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo rejected

Jean-Clair Todibo joined Nice from Barcelona in 2021. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

West Ham have had a £25m bid for the Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo turned down.

Julen Lopetegui, West Ham’s new manager, is looking to sign a new centre-back and has targeted the Frenchman after failing to agree a fee with Wolves for Max Kilman.

Todibo, who joined Nice from Barcelona in 2021, has previously been targeted by Manchester United and Tottenham. It remains to be seen if West Ham return with a higher offer for the 24-year-old Frenchman.

Club sources have not ruled out making a new bid for Kilman. West Ham had a bid of £30m plus add-ons rejected for the Wolves captain last month. West Ham have baulked at Kilman’s £45m valuation but they have not given up their pursuit of the defender. Lopetegui is a big fan of Kilman and managed him at Wolves.

West Ham’s pursuit of the Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters is yet to advance. Walker-Peters could be part of a deal which would see the midfielder, Flynn Downes, move to Southampton.