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Liverpool, Manchester City 'among clubs tracking Nice's Khephren Thuram'

Liverpool, Man City 'among clubs tracking Khephren Thuram'
© Reuters
Liverpool and Manchester City are among several teams keeping a close eye on Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, according to a report.

Liverpool and Manchester City are reportedly among the clubs tracking the progress of Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Ligue 1 and has enjoyed a positive season domestically and continentally with Didier Digard's side.

Thuram has scored two goals and provided eight assists in 42 appearances for Nice in the current campaign, including two strikes and four assists in 30 Ligue 1 matches.

The Frenchman also has three assists to show from nine Europa Conference League starts, playing the full 90 in Thursday's 2-2 quarter-final first-leg draw with Basel.

Thuram's contributions have largely come from a defensive midfield role this season, but he has also operated as a number eight and out on the left flank on occasion.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on March 5, 2023© Reuters

Thanks to his breakthrough campaign, Thuram earned his first senior France call-up for March's Euro 2024 qualifiers and made his debut for Les Bleus off the bench in their 4-0 thrashing of the Netherlands.

Manchester United and Chelsea have previously been credited with an interest in Thuram, and according to Foot Mercato, Liverpool and Man City have also entered the race.

The 2001-born midfielder is contracted to Nice for another two seasons, which does not put Les Aiglons in the strongest negotiating position, but the report adds that no bids fewer than €50m (£44.7m) will be considered.

It could even take as much as €60m (£53.6m) to prise him away from the Allianz Riviera, and Nice have not given up hope of keeping Thuram on the books for another season.

Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping a close eye on developments, while Real Madrid are monitoring the situation from afar amid uncertainty over the futures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, both of whom are out of contract this summer.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola pictured before the match on February 18, 2023© Reuters

Thuram plied his trade at Monaco for three years between 2016 and 2019 before joining Nice on a free transfer, and he has registered eight goals and 11 assists in 132 matches for Les Aiglons in all tournaments.

Liverpool will lose Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on free transfers this summer, while Arthur will head back to Juventus at the end of his loan spell, and it remains to be seen if James Milner will pen a short-term renewal.

The Reds are searching high and low for alternatives to Jude Bellingham, having dropped their interest in the 19-year-old due to Dortmund's £130m asking price, and Thuram would fit the bill.

Meanwhile, Man City are expected to wave goodbye to Barcelona-linked Ilkay Gundogan when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Bernardo Silva's future is also up in the air.

Thuram could also arrive at the Etihad as a like-for-like replacement for Kalvin Phillips, who is on the radar of West Ham United after a nightmare first season under Pep Guardiola.

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Written by
Ben Knapton

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Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham pictured on February 4, 2023
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