When Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp felt the screeching din of the full-time whistle after falling to defeat against Real Madrid in last season's Champions League final, he would have gallantly turned straight to the forthcoming campaign.
Liverpool had completed a domestic cup double, but the German manager's nemeses in Manchester City and Los Blancos triumphed in the Premier League and Europe respectively by the finest of margins.
The 2022/23 season has been anything but fruitful and the Reds have inexplicably fallen by the wayside, now holding just an outside chance of qualifying for next year's Champions League with three matches to play.
Sapped of energy and devoid of inspiration, Liverpool need reinforcements, and while the midfield department has been illuminated as the primary cause for concern, adding quality to the defence would also be a stellar way to rekindle the former cohesive resilience, and Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo has been identified.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Anfield outfit's scouts were at Nice's match against Rennes, with observers of divisional rivals Manchester United and Newcastle United also in attendance.
A fee of €45m (£40m) has been touted for his services, and with ostensible intrigue mounting, Klopp and co would be wise to act swiftly to bolster their ranks.
Should Liverpool sign Jean-Clair Todibo?
The 23-year-old centre-back has impressed during his time in Ligue 1, arriving at Le Gym on a loan deal from Barcelona before making the move permanent and since cementing himself as an important defensive cog.
Having forged 99 appearances, scoring two goals, the Frenchman has been a "rock" – as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – at the back, playing 30 times in the league this term and instrumental in the division's second-strongest defence, shipping 32 goals from 34 matches.
As per Sofascore, he has made 2.2 tackles and 3.2 clearances per match this season, completing 89% of his passes; his incisiveness on the ball is illustrated by his 81% dribble success rate and his tenacity in key battles underscored by his 70% ground duel win rate.
It is this level of robustness that could serve him so well under Klopp's wing, with the German manager seeking clarity over the strength of his backline after a lacklustre year.
The £20k-per-week titan's arrival could even displace Joel Matip, who has fallen out of favour this term, playing only five of the last 17 league matches, and being branded as "awful" by CBS reporter Nico Cantor for during a shoddy display against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this year.
The Cameroonian's recent upturn in form suggests that he is clawing for his future on Merseyside, but at 31 years old and failing to claim a starting berth with regularity, his ship might now have sailed at Anfield.
Todibo also ranks among the top 13% of defenders over the past year across Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 8% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, with a skill set that might just strike a chord with Klopp and how he maps out his tactical philosophy going forward.
Providing a fresh dimension to the Liverpool defensive third, Todibo is discernibly dynamic in his varied approach, with Kulig accentuating this claim by also describing him as "complete".
And with the prime of his career ahead of him, he might find illustrious success in a switch to Liverpool, where he can blossom into a formidable force.
