Erik ten Hag 'transfer target' from Sir Jim Ratcliffe club 'would suit Manchester United'

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has recommended Erik ten Hag targets Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo to strengthen his defence.

Todibo has been linked with a transfer to United in the summer when Ten Hag was desperate to improve his central defence. At the time, the Reds' boss was hoping to offload Harry Maguire to raise funds.

However, a proposed move to West Ham fell through and the former United captain remained at the Theatre of Dreams. In recent weeks, Maguire has earned his place back in the starting XI as injuries threaten the team and his performances have kept Raphael Varane on the bench.

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Speculation remains about Ten Hag adding to his defence though and Saha believes Todibo would be a good addition. He explained to Betfred: "He’s a very good defender.

"He’s very unlucky because currently there’s a golden generation of French defenders and that’s why he doesn’t have many caps for the national team. He’s very good on the ball, he’s calm and he would very much suit Manchester United’s style of play."

Any pursuit of Todibo would be deemed controversial considering Sir Jim Ratcliffe's expected arrival at Old Trafford this month. The INEOS founder will be acquiring a 25 per cent stake in the club which will add to his sporting portfolio that includes ownership of Nice.

Discussing United's current defence, Saha added: "There’s a need in this Manchester United team for goals to come from their defence and that’s why I was so happy to see Victor Lindelof score against Luton on Saturday and to see Harry Maguire scoring in the Champions League against Copenhagen.

"The ten outfield