Liverpool in pole position to top off midfield rebuild with £35m man but Newcastle become threat
Nice stars Khephren Thuram, Jean-Clair Todiibo and Dante
Liverpool are still the most likely suitors for Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, but Newcastle United have joined the race, according to reports.
For quite a while, Thuram was expected to be one of the more likely signings for Liverpool in the summer while they were modifying their midfield. However, he ended up staying at Nice by his own choice, while Jurgen Klopp’s side bought Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch instead.
Some still believe there remains a vacancy in defensive midfield for Liverpool, though. Therefore, they might have room for one more midfield reinforcement when the January transfer window opens.
Although Thuram has been operating in more of a box-to-box role so far this season, it appears he is still under consideration by Liverpool. According to Tutto Juve, the Reds are at the front of the queue to sign him.
Juventus – as you may have guessed given the source – are also on his trail, while the report reveals that Newcastle have also entered the equation for Thuram.
Other suitors in the background for Thuram might include Manchester City, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.
For any of them to sign him, they will have to pay Nice a transfer fee over €40m (£35m), despite the fact there will only be 18 months remaining on his contract there by January.
Thuram has started six out of seven Ligue 1 matches for Nice so far this season, but was injured for the other. Last season, he played 48 times for them in a variety of roles across the middle of the park.
Still only 22 years old, he would be a long-term investment for whoever was to sign him next. If it was Liverpool, he could join Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic in their midfield core for the future.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, Joelinton and Elliott Anderson as midfielders who still have plenty of years left in the tank.
