Liverpool have retained their interest in OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer as Jurgen Klopp looks to complete his midfield ahead of a crucial Premier League campaign.
What's the latest on Khephren Thuram?
That's according to Tuttosport (via FC Inter News), who write that Liverpool are interested in signing the Frenchman but face a wave of competition from Inter Milan, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
The report claims that Thuram, the 'jewel' of Nice, is indeed attracting intense attention from said outfits are impressing in Ligue 1, with Les Aiglons believed to have placed a €50m (£43m) price tag on the energetic midfielder to ward off advances.
While the 22-year-old is happy to stay put, Liverpool could do with a few more faces in the centre after losing James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on free transfers, Fabio Carvalho on loan and Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabian sides this summer.
How good is Khephren Thuram?
Liverpool signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m before swooping for the creative Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m, and while such purchases are impressive, more needs to be done to ensure the top-four is not missed for a second successive season.
While a move for holding midfielder Romeo Lavia is taking centre stage at present - the Reds have failed with three bids; Southampton are holding out for £50m - Thuram could be targetted next to close the door on the midfield rebuild.
Journalist Zach Lowy believes that Liverpool must strike a deal in any case, as he explained exactly what the box-to-box ace could bring for Klopp's side:
"Khephren Thuram is just the sort of player that Liverpool need to transform their midfield. Elite ball carrier for someone of his size and really effective at winning the ball high up the pitch — perfect signing for Klopp’s side."
If the Merseyside outfit do decide to forge ahead with another midfield transfer after the Lavia saga is concluded, one way or another, then the interest in Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall must be abandoned in place of Nice's gem, who would surely bring more to the table for a lasting period.
According to Anfield Watch, Liverpool have been monitoring Dewsbury-Hall's progress with the Foxes over the past year, and have been left impressed despite suffering relegation from the Premier League.
The 24-year-old, who is rated at £24m by FootballTransfers, can hold his head high as many of his peers succumbed to dismal form and the defence capitulated to flood in the water and sink the ship.
As per Sofascore, he recorded an average league rating of 6.86 last term, completing 79% of his passes, forging 1.3 key passes and 1.7 tackles per outing and winning 52% of his ground duels.
Comparatively, Thuram averaged a match rating of 7.04 in France, completing 87% of his passes, making 1.1 key passes, 1.1 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game and succeeding with 51% of his dribbles.
Once lauded as "tenacious" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Thuram also ranks among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 21% for assists and the top 23% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.
Dewsbury-Hall is listed as a comparable player to the one-cap France international, and while he does rank among the top 12% of positional peers for progressive carries, the top 10% for successful take-ons and the top 1% for blocks per 90, with such a similar profile to Thuram Klopp would have to decide between the pair.
And Thuram simply has to be the answer - at just 22 years of age, he could be moulded to the German manager's own creation and be nurtured into a truly world-class talent, one capable of spearheading Liverpool toward a new era of illustrious success.