Fulham and Liverpool are among those keen on Belgian defender Arthur Theate, who had an impressive season with Rennes.
According to L’Equipe, Arthur Theate could have the interest of Premier League sides Fulham and Liverpool in this window. Rennes does not consider him for sale, but a big offer could tempt the Ligue 1 side to part ways with the 23-year-old defender.
Arthur Theate had links to the Premier League last season when West Ham vied for his signature. The Hammers eventually signed Moroccan Nayef Aguerd, the Belgian then moved to Rennes in a €19 million deal from Bologna.
It barely took the 23-year-old Ligue 1 defender time to adapt in France, and soon became a mainstay in their backline. Theate played 42 games across all competitions and helped Rennes finish in the top four, although their backline seemed slightly leaky.
Despite that, Theate was irreplaceable in the side, and now Premier League sides are exploring the idea of signing him. Many teams in England, such as Liverpool, have unfinished business in the transfer market. The Reds had a midfield crisis and eventually made the signing of Wataru Endo from Stuttgart to fill a void.
They are keen on other options like Cheick Doucoure, but Jurgen Klopp also needs a new defender. Whether they have the budget to spend on a defensive player after probably buying two midfielders remains the question, but there’s a need for one.
Piero Hincapie got linked with Liverpool recently, but he’s one of the many names reported in the media, which include players from every other European league. Now, Theate’s name has come to the fore, and after only a single season in France, Rennes could slap a significant price tag.
Liverpool have shown their hand to the market by bidding over €120 million for Moises Caicedo, and the club will demand significant money for their targets. Apart from them, Fulham are also reportedly looking at Theate to bolster their backline.
Marco Silva seems unsatisfied with his central defensive options despite the arrival of Calvin Bassey from Ajax. There were links to Eric Bailly recently and some other defenders, which indicated the manager needed another name in the mix.
Theate seems reasonable, and his experience will hold some value playing for Rennes. Whether he fits Fulham’s budget remains the question, but the 23-year-old Ligue 1 defender would likely improve their backline if they made a move.
