Liverpool open talks to sign "excellent" 14k-p/w Ligue 1 player for Slot
Liverpool open talks to sign "excellent" 14k-p/w Ligue 1 player for Slot
Arne Slot has officially got his Liverpool tenure underway and soon enough, he could have his first signing with reports suggesting that the Reds have opened talks to welcome a midfield reinforcement this summer.
Liverpool transfer news
Those in Merseyside could be in for a busy summer as they look to transition into a new era without Jurgen Klopp for the first time in almost a decade. As Michael Edwards returns with more responsibility than ever though, Liverpool are certainly in good hands. The returning club chief has already set his sights on a number of fresh faces too, which includes recent Champions League winners Aurelien Tchouameni and Brazilian winger Rodrygo.
It may be a more familiar target that the Reds welcome this summer. According to TuttoJuve, Liverpool have opened talks to sign Khephren Thuram from Ligue 1 side Nice. The midfielder was initially linked with the Premier League giants last summer, before a move failed to come to fruition. Now, a year later, they could seal a deal worth just €30m (£26m) in the coming months.
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Liverpool "expected" to open talks for "creative" ace Slot personally wants
He enjoyed an excellent season.
Reportedly earning just £14k-a-week too, Thuram wouldn't disrupt Liverpool's wage structure in a package that could be an instant bargain. Still just 23 years old, Thuram is a player ready for such a move in a deal that would hand Slot an early solution to the same defensive midfield problem that Klopp ran into not so long ago.
Whilst other unnamed Premier League clubs are reportedly interested in the Frenchman, Liverpool may hope to finally win the race for Thuram this summer.
"Excellent" Thuram could replace Endo
As nice a surprise as Wataru Endo's Liverpool rise has been since he completed a move last summer, he is already 31 years old and it remains to be seen just how long he can consistently perform in the Premier League, such is its intensity. In truth, the Japan international always seemed a short-term solution for a long-term problem that Thuram could solve for Slot.
An all-round player on and off the ball, Thuram's ability to slot straight into the defensive midfield role would also permanently unleash Alexis Mac Allister into a more advanced position, which, in itself, would make quite the impact.
It's no surprise that the Nice midfielder has earned such high praise, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig describing his technique and ball control at speed as "excellent". Now, It could be Liverpool who benefit by adding the final piece to a midfield rebuild initially started under Klopp and seemingly set to continue under the guidance of Edwards and Slot.