Ahead of the summer transfer window, Liverpool are expected to strengthen in midfield.
With Fabinho's form dropping off a cliff during the 2022-23 season, Thiago's injury issues continuing, Jordan Henderson ageing, and James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departing the club, Liverpool's midfield depth is looking thin at best.
They have been linked with Brighton's World Cup winning midfield maestro Alexis Mac Allister, and reports in France suggest that 22-year-old Nice midfielder Khéphren Thuram is also a prime target for Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool: Club enter talks to sign Khéphren Thuram
Khéphren Thuram was one of the breakout stars of the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season. The midfielder was named in the team of the season, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, after a stellar personal showing, as Nice finished in ninth in the Ligue 1 table.
Thuram - son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian, and brother to Marcus - also earned a first call-up to the France squad for the March qualifiers against the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, in recognition of his consistent excellence for Nice.
His performances have put him on the radar of Europe's biggest clubs, and L'Équipe reported on Tuesday that Liverpool have entered talks with the player's representatives with a view to signing Thuram.
Khephren Thuram in action for Nice (Photo: Shutterstock)
Liverpool are understood to have been in talks with Nice for the midfielder, and a meeting has taken place between the club and Thuram's representatives. Nice reportedly value Thuram at €60 million.
There are likely to be obstacles for Liverpool, with Thuram seemingly content on the French south coast. Nice are also owned by Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS - who are in the midst of a bidding war to take control of Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United.
Thuram mainly operated at the base of midfield for Nice this season, contributing two goals and four assists in 35 Ligue 1 appearances for the club.
After an underwhelming Premier League campaign, Liverpool ultimately finished in fifth place, missing out on Champions League football for the first time in seven years.
Their issues in midfield were regularly flagged as a central component of their struggles, with young players such as Stefan Bajcetic and Curtis Jones regularly starting, as well as manager Jurgen Klopp trying to move Trent Alexander-Arnold from the right flank into the centre of the park later in the season.
It is clear from the early whispers in the transfer market that Klopp recognises the weaknesses in Liverpool's squad, and they will hope to return to the title battle next season.
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