Fabrizio Romano says rival club have reached 'verbal agreement' for ex-Liverpool target in cut price deal
Liverpool had long-standing interest in this former transfer target.
Liverpool are still waiting to make their first signing of the summer transfer window as they prepare for this new Arne Slot chapter. The Dutchman has inherited a strong squad from Jurgen Klopp but is also looking to put his own stamp on the team he hopes to guide to plenty of success during his tenure.
The Reds have been linked with a number of exciting players this year alone as they look to strengthen a number of areas on the pitch. Last summer was heavily focused on restructuring the midfield following the hefty five-player exodus, which left the engine room with extremely limited options.
The arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have already proven to be smart signings but Liverpool remain eager to sign a new No.6, after struggling to land initial targets. They had been looking to bring in a direct replacement for Fabinho, who left in a £40 million move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad.
Long-standing target Roméo Lavia eventually opted to join Chelsea instead. He followed Moisés Caicedo to Stamford Bridge, who the Reds also attempted to sign after tabling a whopping £111 million bid, seemingly out of nowhere.
Wataru Endō proved to be a solid addition to Klopp’s final season but he has been viewed as more of a stop-gap signing. Liverpool are still looking for a defensive-minded midfielder and several names have been mentioned in recent months. Unfortunately for the Reds, they have been missing out on some of their targets recently and Fabrizio Romano has just announced another is set to sign elsewhere too.
The transfer expert has announced that Nice’s Khéphren Thuram is set to join Juventus following a ‘verbal agreement’ between the two for a deal worth €25 million (£21m) overall. His contract will run until 2029 and documents are ‘to be changed today and tomorrow’ before he undergoes his medical in Italy. Thuram is a player who has been on Liverpool’s radar for some time. Back in October last year, TuttoJuve reported that the Reds were ‘leading the race’ for the 23-year-old but faced competition from a number of clubs. Manchester City, Newcastle United and Real Madrid were among the growing list of clubs interested in Thuram, along with Juventus.
The report claimed that the midfielder, who operates both centrally and defensively, was worth ‘at least’ €40 million (£34m). With Juve now reportedly due to sign him for significantly less than the original reported amount, it will be an even bigger blow for the Reds, who could have signed him for a cut price. Liverpool still have plenty of options to consider and a lot of time left in the market to bring in some exciting new transfers. However, James Pearce recently reported that the club currently only have one link ‘with real substance’, which is reportedly Lille defender Leny Yoro, who is also being targeted by multiple clubs.