Liverpool 'enter negotiations' for £25m-rated midfielder they wanted last summer
The French midfielder is available this summer and Liverpool could revisit their past interest.
Liverpool are reportedly heading back to Nice to attempt to sign Khephren Thuram, one year on from their last reported pursuit of the midfielder.
The Frenchman was a key target before the window opened last summer and he was highly-touted to be the type of young and energetic player to replace the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson at the time. However, an ill-timed knee injury ruled him out of action for a few months which poured cold water on the move and they went onto spend over £150m on midfield signings instead.
According to a report in Italy (TuttoJuve) Liverpool have now entered into negotiations with the French club in order to sign the midfielder. Thuram is reportedly on the radar of other English clubs as well and he will cost around €30 million this summer.
There are some strange similarities to last summer in terms of the perceived interest from Liverpool. Like 12 months ago, Thuram will be partaking in a summer tournament; last year it was the U21 European Championships and this year he joins Thierry Henry’s French squad for the Olympics. He will be hoping for a smoother ride this time round after suffering a fatal knee injury which killed any transfer interest last time around.
Thuram was part of the Nice side that finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season but they boasted a brilliant defensive record of 16 clean sheets and just 29 goals conceded. On a personal level, he displayed his strong qualities that included ranking in the 91st percentile for progressive carries - that was one attribute that would have been adored at Anfield, his ability to power past players and drive his team forward. It is also a strong reason why he stands out; a player of his size (191cm) with the ability to dribble gracefully is certainly a high value trait.
It was also a figure that was well complimented by his high number of carries into the final third. He also tackled 50% of dribblers and ranked fairly high for shots blocks and clearances - but it is clear he has a lot to learn and he would only fit in as a rotation option at Liverpool if he would sign this summer.