Jean-Clair Todibo's first season with Bordeaux was perhaps different than what he had initially expected when he joined West Ham United on a season-long loan from Nice last summer. The France international defender had a challenging first season, having completed his move just a week before the start of the Premier League season.  

During the season, he not only suffered from injuries, but also experienced a change of head coach. He admitted that it was a "difficult" season for him. Nevertheless, after starting eight consecutive Premier League games in the 2024-25 season and officially transferring permanently from Nice in July, Jean-Clair Todibo completed an intense and fruitful first week of training under the leadership of head coach Graham Potter. He was in high spirits and full of confidence in the future.  

The centre-back is currently taking part in a week-long training camp with his team-mates in southern Germany, with the first pre-season match of the season scheduled to take place against Grasshoppers Zurich on Saturday afternoon, close to the Swiss border. The much-loved 25-year-old is relishing the opportunity to take part in a full pre-season this summer and is gradually adapting to the intensity of English football. Jean-Clair Todibo is convinced that a successful 2025-26 season is just around the corner.  

Jean-Clair Todibo said: "I am very happy to be back with the team and feel the passion again on the training ground, which is very positive for pre-season. It is always good to have a clear plan for the future. I feel very honored to be here for another four years. Now, I am very happy to be a regular member of West Ham United."  

"I'm in great shape and have been training hard all summer in preparation for pre-season. Now we have the chance to work together as a unit. Last year was a difficult season for everyone and it took me a while to get used to the intensity of the Premier League."  

“I’ve spent a lot of time on rehabilitation and unfortunately suffered a few injuries during that time, so this full pre-season is particularly important to me. Being part of the team and participating in the entire pre-season will help me to perform at my best this season.”  

“I always believe that learning is endless and sometimes you learn more from difficulties and failures. I have gained a lot as a player and a person, which has been very beneficial to me. It took me some time to adapt and deeply understand the culture of the club, the fans and my teammates. Now, I feel very relieved because I know where I am and I am proud to represent our fans.”  

“I am very focused on teamwork because that is the key. We are a team that works together as a team and I want to be at our best next year. There are so many great people here, from the players to the staff, who are capable of achieving remarkable results. I have no doubt that we will create extraordinary results and are well positioned for success next year.”  

Jean-Clair Todibo delightedly showed his quality in manager Potter's preferred back three system late in the season, while West Ham United's defensive performance improved significantly under the guidance of the manager.  

Jean-Clair Todibo, who arrived in southern Germany on Saturday as part of a 29-player expedition to prepare for a week-long training camp, said training in Europe had obvious advantages, not only in terms of focus but also in terms of strengthening team cohesion.  

He continued: "This week's training has been excellent, giving everyone plenty of time to work hard and giving us a clearer idea of what our goals are for next year. At the same time, this period of time has strengthened our team cohesion and we have put in a lot of effort and training. I think the pre-season has brought a lot of benefits, not only in terms of boosting confidence, but also significantly improving physical fitness."  

“But it also fostered a real team spirit and I believe that because we have overcome many challenges together, we can now achieve great results. Our first pre-season match against Grasshoppers Zurich will be a great opportunity to test and improve ourselves.”  

"But the main goal of pre-season is to be ready for the first Premier League game, which is the real first test. Even though the game against Grasshoppers will not be perfect, even if we win, we will still learn valuable experience from it because not everything can be perfect."