Transfer watch: Khephren Thuram

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Khephren Thuram, the OGC Nice midfielder and son of legendary defender Lilian Thuram, has caught the attention of the biggest clubs in Europe after a successful season in Ligue 1.

The 22-year-old has one of the rarest profiles available on the European market. Standing at 1.92m or 6’4” tall, Thuram’s ability in possession is almost mystical to watch. He is strong, agile, and able to drive the ball into the attacking third from deep within his own half.

Thuram is naturally a box-to-box midfielder, where his physical attributes help fend off the opposition press while also having the ability to beat both the player in front of him and look to play in a teammate with either an aerial through ball or ground pass.

Nice have predominantly deployed the French U21 international in central midfield, but have also utilised him in a more defensive role for parts of the season. This is where his ability to regain possession stands out, especially higher up the pitch in a counter-pressing situation. This also allows him to have more of an influence in the offensive build-up.

Thuram however is far from the finished article. He is still raw both offensively and defensively despite not having a bad output with 10 goal contributions in the 2022/23 season, but would need to be improved if he makes the move to a UEFA Champions League level club.

Defensively he would also need to mature, despite his talent for regaining possession high up the pitch, his defensive discipline and overall defensive game would need to improve before he could be used as an out-and-out defensive midfielder.

He has occasionally been played on the left-side of midfield and on the left-wing, showcasing his ability on the ball and as a threat in possession, but realistically his future is in the centre of the park.

For his age, Thuram has valuable experience under his belt, having made nearly 150 club appearances for both OGC Nice and AS Monaco. During his time at Monaco he even earned his UEFA Champions League debut as an 18-year-old.

Right now, Nice are in turmoil after an unsuccessful season and behind the scenes drama, including a negative fan perception of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe led INEOS ownership. This in combination with poor handling of player contracts and a lack of valuable player assets, has opened the door for those interested in Thuram.

Liverpool have reportedly made a bid in the region of 35-million-pounds for Thuram, but Nice are valuing the midfielder at a figure closer to 50-million-pounds.  It is believed that an agreement will be reached if an offer closer to the 40–45-million-pound range is made, depending on the structure of the deal and nature of add-ons included.

Liverpool appear to be leading the race for his signature with personal terms reportedly agreed, but both Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United have concrete interest.

Thuram is currently at the U21 European Championships representing a talented French side, making it likely his future will only be decided after the competition. The U21 Euros get underway on the 21st of June and is set to end on the 8th of July, meaning Liverpool, PSG, Newcastle and Nice will have to wait until the beginning of preseason before any deal can be completed.

Photo: Twitter @AnfieldWatch

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Dylan Johnson