West Ham's £35m Todibo Problem Takes Another Champions League Turn

West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo was left on the bench for Lens' Champions League trip to Freddie Potts Club Brugge on Wednesday night. The Frenchman's latest omission gives me even more reason to believe the Hammers were right to refuse his reported return to the London Stadium.

Todibo was listed among the substitutes for another important European fixture. It followsour report yesterday that Lens want to send him back, but West Ham will not take him.

JCT was introduced at half-time after being dropped from Lens' starting XI, but could not prevent the French side losing 3-0 Lens conceded twice after the interval, while Get French Football News awarded the West Ham loanee a4/10 rating. Every passing update from Todibo's time in France seems to be another nail in the coffin of his West Ham career.

A loan which should have helped rebuild his reputation is instead providing more questions about where he goes next. Todibo's Fitness Problems Sound Familiar French outlet Allez Lens has reported concerns about his match fitness, describing a player still struggling to reach the physical level required.

Those concerns will hardly sound unfamiliar to West Ham supporters. Being named on the bench does not, by itself, explain everything behind a manager's decision.

But taken alongside the difficulties already reported in France, it certainly does nothing to change my view that bringing him back would be the wrong move. At this stage, it is starting to look like a£35 million write-off.

That is how I see the direction of travel, rather than a confirmed valuation, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to see West Ham recovering anything close to their investment. Back in the days when Todibo was briefly enjoying his football at West Ham A Sliding Doors Moment Under Nuno Perhaps Todibo had his own sliding doors moment when he finally began finding some form under his third West Ham manager, Nuno Espírito Santo.

Then came his sending-off in the3-2 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and realistically, I do not think he ever found his way back. For a while, it looked as though the right coach might finally be getting something out of him.

Instead, we are now watching another club struggle to make the arrangement work. Todibo needs to find the right club and the right coach now.