Several of West Ham United’s summer departures were deemed ‘too posh for the Championship’- those who seemingly couldn’t wait to quit the club despite being complicit in its relegation.
Several have boosted the club’s coffers and contributed to paying down the club debt: Well orchestrated sales of Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes between them adding something close to £150 million to the ‘positive’ side of the balance sheet.
Some, such as Axel Disasi and Adama Traore came to the end of their short term loans or contracts and quietly moved on.However others such as Aaron Wan Bissaka departed with few tears on either side: The player nobody misses at West Ham, though, must surely be Jean Clair Todibo.
Double trouble – Todibo and Wan Bissaka, the summer departures that nobody misses.
The most divisive influence in the West Ham dressing room, and perhaps the most frustrating, Todibo fell out with Lopetegui, Potter and Nuno in quick succession, earning himself a well deserved ‘trouble maker’ reputation. This despite an obvious ability made his a maddening position in the West Ham squad: Desperately needed but seemingly unable just to knuckle down and let his football do the talking.
The dressing room is better for his departure and few fans will lament his leaving. The only down side is that largely because of his reputation, West Ham couldn’t sew up a permanent deal for him and had to cobble together just a season-long loan at RC Lens where he’s managed a total of two appearances so far.
The hope must be that Todibo will keep his argumentative side in check now he’s back in France and that Lens might want to talk about a permanent deal at the end of the season.
The player famously refused point blank to play for Nuno after he was substituted early on to correct the manager’s tactical howler against Newcastle. How pleased the Hammers boss must be to have Todibo out of sight and out of mind, if only for the time being.
Either way, nobody expects him to pull on a West Ham shirt again despite him having a contract until June 2029.