Luke Entwistle, a French football expert, provides the ECHO with insight into Khephren Thuram’s potential fit at Liverpool should he successfully complete a transfer from Nice.
After completing the acquisition of Alexis Mac Allister, Khephren Thuram appears to be the next midfielder at the top of Liverpool’s list.
Liverpool came in fifth place in the Premier League last year and were eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16 after failing to defeat Real Madrid in a rematch of the 2022 final.
Jurgen Klopp wants to bring his team back into contention in 2023–24, but in order to do that, he will need to make more signings, especially in the midfield.
The Reds’ engine room needs a lot of work, as demonstrated by last season, and while Mac Allister is a start, at least one more addition is required.
Thuram is a top priority for Liverpool when it comes to transfers. But what kind of player would Klopp be getting for the Reds if the new France international decided to leave Nice and move to Merseyside?
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The ECHO spoke to Get French Football News’ Luke Entwistle for all of the details about the 22-year-old’s game and how he could improve the Reds heading into next season.
According to reports, Khephren Thuram has been requested personally by Jurgen Klopp. How would he improve Liverpool’s midfield?
“Verticality, ball advancement, and press aggression. Thuram is an elite dribbler who uses his frame to drive through the thirds. Once he gets going, he can be challenging to stop.
“Given the departures, it is perhaps unclear how Liverpool’s midfield will look; therefore, having such a rounded, box-to-box element in there will add an important degree of versatility to the mix.”
Thuram has also been linked with PSG. Would the kid do better if he went to Anfield?
“The most recent Le Parisien reports indicate that PSG are not interested in signing the Nice midfielder this summer. Similar to Liverpool, it is hard to predict how PSG’s midfield will look in the upcoming campaign. Verratti, who has been a mainstay of the team for ten years, is rumored to be leaving, and a new manager is expected to take over.
“Despite this period of change at Liverpool, the organization stands as a more reliable alternative than PSG.”
Is Thuram destined to become a star for France’s national team?
“A sort of golden generation of French midfielders is emerging. Since they have been injured, Kante and Pogba have been less active on the international stage, but their replacements already play for major clubs.
“Tchouameni had a challenging second half of the season, but he will most likely recover and has already cemented his place as a starter under Deschamps. Les Bleus have recently used Camavinga at left-back, but the young player will likely return to his position in midfield soon enough.
“While Guendouzi and Youssouf Fofana, who are both just a little older than Thuram, have historically been preferred, others are also breaking through. However, Thuram managed to make the team despite competing for a struggling Nice team this year.
“In order to assist the team in winning the Euros, he has returned to the U21 side, but it is anticipated that he will quickly make a name for himself in the senior setup. There is room for him because Deschamps still prefers a three-man midfield, and a significant summer transfer will only aid his pursuit.”
What are the advantages of Thuram?
“He’s an excellent dribbler, which I mentioned briefly in my earlier statement. He is aggressive and intelligent in the press, and he has a good passing range.”
What needs to get better as Thuram gets more experience?
“The final product is his biggest weakness. For a player with his talent and profile, eight goals and 11 assists in 138 games for Nice is insufficient. He should definitely add numbers to his game and occasionally show a little bit more selfishness. He frequently commits the sin of passing when he ought to shoot.”
