Talks over a deal for OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram are claimed to have “multiplied” in recent weeks, with Liverpool making him a “priority.”
Thuram has emerged as a viable candidate as part of Liverpool’s rebuild this summer, with at least one more signing expected in the middle of the park.
After the £35 million deal for Alexis Mac Allister, the likes of Manu Kone, Ryan Gravenberch, Gabri Veiga and Romeo Lavia are being considered.
But according to French newspaper L’Equipe, Thuram is now considered a “priority objective,” and the player himself is “seduced” by the potential of joining.
“Contacts have multiplied in recent weeks,” the report explains.
“The player is not against leaving Nice, despite his attachment to the club, and has shown himself to be seduced by the Liverpool project.”
Thuram joined Nice from AS Monaco in 2019, and has gone on to play 138 times for the club as well as debuting for the France national team.
A dynamic, all-round midfielder, he would likely slot in as one of the advanced options in Jurgen Klopp‘s system, as is also expected with Mac Allister.
Nice will almost certainly play hardball when it comes to their No. 19, though, with previous reports describing initial meetings with the Ligue 1 side as “negative.”
Any deal for Thuram may need to wait until later in the summer, either way, with the midfielder currently on duty with the France under-21s.
Part of Sylvain Ripoll’s squad for the U21 Euros in Romania and Georgia – along with Kone and ex-Liverpool left-back Yasser Larouci – there are three group games to come between June 22 and 28.
If France progress into the quarter-finals their next game would be on July 1/2, with the semi-finals held on July 5 and the final on July 8.
By that point, Liverpool will have begun pre-season, with Klopp admitting his preference to bring in players as early as possible back in May, but also understanding that this may not be possible.
“It’s always possible that things don’t go as quick as you want. It’s not only possible, it’s probably likely,” he said.
“The better the player you want is, the lesser is the desire of the other club to let him go.”
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