Liverpool close in on summer deal for French midfielder Khephren Thuram
According to Ouest-France (h/t Paisley Gates), Premier League giants Liverpool are closing in on a deal for OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The French youth international has been one of Nice’s best players and is attracting attention from both Newcastle United and Liverpool. The 22-year-old came through the Monaco youth system before making his first-team bow in 2018-19.
He moved to Nice in 2019 and has since made 138 appearances for Les Aiglons across all competitions, scoring eight goals and assisting 11 more. A central midfielder, Thuram can also do a job in the defensive midfielder’s role and is a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park.
A solid dribbler with the athleticism to match, Thuram is a dominant presence in the middle of the park and will only get better. His physical stature and ability could make him a difficult player to mark in the coming years. He would add some much-needed muscle in the middle of the park at Anfield.
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Having already landed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds have landed themselves two technically proficient midfielders this summer. Adding Thuram and another defensive midfielder to their roster will aid Jurgen Klopp in putting together a midfield roster rich in quality and depth.
It could cost the Reds around £50m to land the Frenchman this summer. With Southampton’s Romeo Lavia also quoted to be available for the same price, it remains to be seen if either of them arrive on Merseyside. Liverpool were also linked with Thuram’s close friend and fellow French youth international Manu Kone. However, links have gone cold of late after the youngster suffered an injury while on international duty.
Having beaten Newcastle to the signing of Szoboszlai, Liverpool now finds themselves in competition with the Magpies once again for Thuram. With pre-season starting soon, it is in Klopp and co’s best interests to land Thuram as soon as possible.
We need a solid defensive mid to hold it together. I’d suggest Fulham’s Palhinha