‘Major Asset’ – Attacker Already Impressed With Star On Loan From West Ham | OneFootball

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Lens attacker Florian Thauvin has revealed that West Ham United defender Jean-Clair Todibo has already settled into his new home, stressing that the defender will prove a ‘major asset’ for the French outfit.

The 26-year-old has found life difficult in east London since arriving in 2023, with his situation taking another turn for the worse after his falling out with Nuno Espirito Santo last term.

The Frenchman spent the summer waiting for an escape from the London Stadium, as Serie A duo Juventus and Atalanta both tried their luck in pursuit of his services.

However, Marseille took the pursuit a step further, reaching a verbal agreement over his return to Ligue 1, only for the proposed switch to ultimately break down amid the club’s cash-strapped situation.

Yet deadline day finally offered Todibo an avenue back to France, with Lens emerging as his destination.

The Ligue 1 outfit brought the defender in on a season-long loan, while the Hammers were relieved to have him off their books.

Speaking about his new team-mate, Thauvin highlighted Todibo’s wealth of experience despite his age, pointing to the defender’s time with several clubs and his experience abroad.

The winger also underlined how quickly Todibo has fully integrated into the Lens squad, praising the quality he has already displayed and backing him to become a valuable addition to the side.

Thauvin was quoted as saying by French outlet Maxifoot: “You can tell he’s a player who even though he’s still young, already has a lot of experience, because he’s played for numerous clubs and has had plenty of experience abroad.

“He’s a player who settles into a squad very quickly; we’re doing our utmost to make him feel at home with us, and he certainly does.

“We’ve already seen the full extent of his talent in training, so we’re very proud to have him with us, and he’s going to be a major asset.”

There is no option to buy attached to Todibo’s loan deal, although West Ham will hope his spell at Lens proves productive enough to pave the way for a permanent departure.

The Hammers pursued Fikayo Tomori on deadline day as a possible replacement for Todibo, but were unable to push the deal through.

They did land Morato on loan from Nottingham Forest.

Despite Nuno’s side making a difficult start, they have since reversed their fortunes in recent weeks and climbed to second in the Championship