Man Utd may continue to delay Liverpool signing Khephren Thuram amid fan protest

It’s scarcely a secret that Liverpool are aiming to do more business this summer.

Alexis Mac Allister arrived at Anfield before the transfer window was even officially open. Plenty concurred that, on the face of things, prising the midfielder from Brighton for an initial fee of £35 million was sage.

But the necessity for Jurgen Klopp to continue to augment his options in the middle of the park remains paramount. Liverpool’s frailties in the engine room came under severe scrutiny during an underwhelming 2022-23 season. Then factor in the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who were not regular starters but were selection choices nonetheless, and it leaves them short.

It might be a stab in the dark when predicting who may join Mac Allister in the Reds’ new-look midfield department. There have been that many names linked, which isn’t a huge surprise. Klopp and his recruitment staff will have been planning this window for months and earmarked several potential players.

One who is seemingly high on the shopping list is Khephren Thuram. The son of World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, the 22-year-old meets the profile required; he’s still to hit his peak years, is dynamic in possession and powerful without the ball.

Last season, despite Nice finishing ninth in Ligue 1, Thuram thrived. He recorded two goals and eight assists in 48 games and was named in the Team of the Season.

But a concrete move from Liverpool is seemingly still to happen. The fact that Thuram is presently representing France at the European under-21 Championships may be one reason.

However, the takeover process of the Reds’ bitter rivals Manchester United may well be another reason.

The two main parties hoping to complete an Old Trafford takeover are Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Sheikh Jassim is said to want a 100% purchase while Ratcliffe - through his company Ineos - is willing to take a controlling stake but allow co-chairman Joel and Avram Glazer to remain involved.

There have already been three rounds of bids entertained by the Raine Group, the American investment bank conducting a sale on behalf of owners, the Glazer family. Despite reports claiming that Sheikh Jassim is leading the way, progress is still to be made.

Certainly, United fans who want the Glazers banished will be growing frustrated. Yesterday, on the day of the club’s launch of their 2023-24 home kit, ‘The 1958’ group made their feelings clear. After the Red Devils’ club shop at Old Trafford opened, around 100 supporters blocked the entrance in protest of the Americans.

When a breakthrough will be made remains to be seen. And, according to L'Equipe, the delay is having a knock-on effect on Nice - who have been owned by Ratcliffe since his £88 million purchase in 2019.

A disappointing mid-table berth in 2022-23 was put down to delayed summer recruitment. But a year later, things again aren’t running smoothly at the Eaglets. They are have still to appoint a new manager after opting not to extend caretaker Didier Digard’s contract after he succeeded Lucien Favre in January.

What's more, it is suggested that Ineos being left in the dark by the Glazers and United will 'inevitably have an impact on the means allocated' to Nice when it comes to their transfer plans. Sporting director Florent Ghisolfi is said to have already come up with a plan of 'measured ambition' but plans are currently ‘in a period of standby’.

The Eaglets' resources they're given in the transfer market could come down to whether Ratcliffe's United bid is successful or not. If he does win the race to complete a Red Devils takeover then it has previously been suggested that Nice will have a smaller transfer budget - and they may have to raise funds by selling prized assets such as Thuram.

Yet as things stand, it appears that Ghisolfi's plans have hit an impasse. He may be in the dark about whether departures are required or Rafcliffe will indeed hand over a war chest that allows Nice to retain their key stars.