A £40million fee has been touted for the centre-half, and the Ligue 1 side could soon be hoping to welcome a bidding war. The Red Devils might have hoped for an advantage in the race for Todibo following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in the club. INEOS, who Ratcliffe founded and now sits in position as chief executive and chairman of, own French club Nice.

The sports team owner does not want to simply splash cash on the best players. “I’d rather find the next Mbappe than spend a fortune trying to buy success,” he said. “It’s not that clever, is it, buying Mbappe, in a way?

“Anyone could figure that one out,” he added. They’ve done that over the last 10 years. The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes who are managing and organising the club and make sure we get recruitment right.

Speaking in March, the France international said he would decide his future at the end of the season. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said. “I don’t want to give false hope.

For now, I’m here at Nice. “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.

There are important games coming up. The goal is that if it is to be my final season at OGC Nice, then I want to leave here having done something beautiful with the club. The supporters and the club deserve players who give everything on the pitch, and to achieve something substantial.

Personally, if I am to leave, I want to leave something good behind.”

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