Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of the OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, who will not leave his club this summer.
According to L’Equipe, Khephren Thuram is now likely to remain at OGC Nice for another season. The 22-year-old midfielder will enter the final year of his contract next season, and the French outfit have decided to sell him next summer.
The 22-year-old is highly rated around Europe, and he has been heavily linked with the move to Anfield in recent weeks. There is no doubt that Liverpool need to improve their midfield considerably, and Thuram would have been an exceptional acquisition.
The 22-year-old contributed to ten goals across all competitions this past season, and he has all the attributes to develop into a complete midfielder. In addition, the French midfield general has an admirer in Jurgen Klopp, who demanded his signing from Liverpool.
Liverpool could have certainly used his creativity and defensive qualities in the middle of the park. They have already signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. They should look to bring in a quality defensive midfielder before the summer transfer window ends. Liverpool are thought to be keeping tabs on Romeo Lavia from Southampton as well.
Meanwhile, Thuram will probably be disappointed if the move does not materialise this summer. The opportunity to play for a club like Liverpool can be hard to turn down, and he would also get to work with a world-class manager like Jurgen Klopp.
The German manager has an exceptional track record when it comes to nurturing talented young players, and he has proven that during his time at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. The German could have helped Thuram develop into a top-class player over the next few seasons.
But the 22-year-old himself has decided to continue at OGC Nice to continue his momentum in his homeland. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool decide to reignite their interest in the player next summer if Nice refuse to sanction his departure this time around. Liverpool have recently parted ways with players like James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita on free transfers.
Also Read: Three Ways Liverpool Can Line Up With Dominik Szoboszlai
They should look to bring in at least another midfielder before the window closes. They had a disappointing campaign last year and their midfield was their undoing. It is an area that is in need of a considerable rebuild and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool manage to get the necessary additions done before the window closes.
