Liverpool have opened talks to sign Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, but the deal could be complicated by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s potential Manchester United takeover, according to reports. The Merseysiders are looking to bring in two central midfielders this summer after withdrawing from the race to sign Jude Bellingham, with manager Jurgen Klopp feeling the transfer budget would be better spent on multiple players rather than just the Borussia Dortmund star. Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister is expected to swap the south coast for Anfield in the coming weeks, with the World Cup winner having a gentleman’s agreement to leave if a suitable offer comes in.
The Argentine plays a more offensive, box-to-box role for Brighton and Liverpool are thought to want a slightly more defence-conscious – but still box-to-box – player for their second midfield addition. They have previously been linked with Sporting Lisbon’s holding midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but now French newspaper L’Equipe claim they are pushing for dynamic Nice star Thuram. The 22-year-old, who is the son of legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, has enjoyed a breakout campaign in the south of France and earned a call-up to the senior national team as well as a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. He netted twice in 30 league starts last season, as well as laying on four assists, but also brings work rate and energy – averaging 2.6 combined tackles and interceptions per match.
A meeting is believed to have already taken place between Liverpool and the player’s entourage, while Thuram is keen to work under Klopp. However, Nice are very reluctant to sell and it would take an offer in the region of €60million (£52m) to bring them to the negotiating table. In a further complication, Nice are owned by Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who are currently in advanced talks to buy Liverpool’s fierce Premier League rivals Manchester United. Although rival Qatari bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has made a last-minute improved bid for a full takeover, Ratcliffe’s offer of a majority stake – which would see two of the Glazer siblings retain their shares – is thought to be the preferred option. The uncertainty surrounding Ineos’ takeover of United could prove to be a stumbling block for any deal that sees Thuram move to Liverpool – certainly in the short term – though if Ratcliffe’s bid is unsuccessful the situation could change. Speaking about his future after making the Ligue 1 Team of the Season, Thuram said: ‘I want to progress, be on the pitch, have fun. For now, I’m at Nice, and that’s going very well, I really like the club, so I still see myself at Nice. I am happy at Nice. There are rumours, I hear them, but I’m happy at Nice and I hope to grow with this club.’
Liverpool have opened talks with Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram over a potential transfer this summer, but the deal could be complicated by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s potential takeover of Manchester United. The Merseysiders are looking to bring in two central midfielders after withdrawing from the race to sign Jude Bellingham, with manager Jurgen Klopp believing that the transfer budget would be better spent on multiple players rather than just the Borussia Dortmund star. Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister is expected to join Anfield in the coming weeks, with the World Cup winner having a gentleman’s agreement to leave if a suitable offer comes in.
The Argentine plays a more offensive, box-to-box role for Brighton and Liverpool are thought to want a slightly more defence-conscious – but still box-to-box – player for their second midfield addition. They have previously been linked with Sporting Lisbon’s holding midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but now French newspaper L’Equipe claim they are pushing for dynamic Nice star Thuram. The 22-year-old, who is the son of legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, has enjoyed a breakout campaign in the south of France and earned a call-up to the senior national team as well as a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. He netted twice in 30 league starts last season, as well as laying on four assists, but also brings work rate and energy – averaging 2.6 combined tackles and interceptions per match.
A meeting is believed to have already taken place between Liverpool and the player’s entourage, while Thuram is keen to work under Klopp. However, Nice are very reluctant to sell and it would take an offer in the region of €60million (£52m) to bring them to the negotiating table. Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe own Nice and are currently in advanced talks to buy Liverpool’