Returning Jean-Clair Todibo drops subtle hint on West Ham future amid exit links

Jean-Clair Todibo and Graham Potter have both confirmed the return of the French defender to West Ham’s squad for the Brentford clash.

West Ham take on Brentford at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

The game marks exactly six weeks to the day that Jean-Clair Todibo limped off in West Ham’s 4-1 defeat at Man City.

That proved to be the last game of Julen Lopetegui’s disastrous West Ham tenure.

It has been well publicised – and was confirmed by Lopetegui – that he and Todibo had an altercation at half-time of a shambolic 5-2 defeat against Arsenal.

It’s alleged Todibo got physical with Lopetegui during that bust-up.

The manager tried to downplay the situation at the time, saying it was ‘nothing too important’.

It was important enough, though, to see Todibo banished from the squad for a game and made to train with the Under 21s.

Todibo was one of five players who got together to try and force West Ham to sack Lopetegui at the start of December.

Todibo continues to be linked with West Ham exit

It was around that time Graham Potter was put on standby.

A month later, Lopetegui was gone and Potter was in.

Todibo was said to be relived Lopetegui had been sacked and equally gutted to be missing out on working with new Hammers boss Potter last month.

That came amid yet more incessant speculation he wanted to leave the club in the winter window.

The likes of long-term admirers Juventus and Marseille were linked with moves for the 24-year-old.

There was claim and counter claim that Todibo was desperate to get out of east London – where he was persuaded to move only after Tim Steidten flew to Nice for a one-on-one meeting.