The French defender failed to make an impact at Camp Nou since his arrival from Toulouse in January 2019 and makes the switch to Germany
Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo has joined Schalke on loan for the rest of the 2019-20 season.
The Bundesliga side will pay a fee of €1.5 million to secure the loan deal and will also have an option to purchase Todibo for €25m (£21m/$28m) plus €5m in add-ons at the end of the campaign.
Barca will also retain an option to buy Todibo back for €50m (£43m/$56m) plus €10m (£8.5m/$11m) in variables.
The 20-year-old failed to make an impact at Camp Nou after joining the Blaugrana from Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse in January 2019.
Though highly regarded, Todibo made just five total appearances during his time with Barca as the likes of Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti limited his minutes.
However, Schalke were more than happy to land the France Under-20 international, who has also been linked with a move to AC Milan.
“We said during the training camp in Spain that we would only be active in the market if something opened up that would help us,” Schalke head coach David Wagner said in a statement.
“That’s definitely the case for Jean-Clair Todibo, who is one of the best young central defenders in Europe.”
Though Todibo is widely known as a centre-back, Wagner said that his club’s current injury stituation may lead to him featuring in central midfield.
“Since Benjamin Stambouli’s recovery is taking a little longer than we had all hoped, it makes sense to bring in another central defender,” Wagner continued.
“He can also play in defensive midfield. We will all do our best to support him in the development of his clear potential.”
Schalke will hope Todibo’s presence will help them land a Champions League spot in the Bundesliga this term.
The Royal Blues are currently fifth in the Bundesliga table, level on points with rivals Borussia Dortmund in fourth place.
Todibo said that Schalke’s hierarchy helped convince him that he was joining the right club to further his development.
“The club’s management convinced me of their project, seeking success with young players. That’s why I chose to join Schalke,” Todibo said.
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