Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the signing of OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, and while it is not a done deal, there is optimism that a deal can be struck over the coming weeks.
What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?
That's according to Football Insider's David Lynch, who claims that Jurgen Klopp's Reds are now edging towards closing a deal for the France international, who is hoping to move to Anfield this summer.
Les Aiglons are willing to sanction a transfer if their €40m (£34m) valuation is met, and given the relatively affordable fee there is every possibility that the Anfield side will lodge their offer.
Liverpool have already signed Alexis Mac Allister for £35m after the departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, and securing the 22-year-old's signature would certainly instil optimism over the future fortunes of the prestigious Premier League outfit.
Why should Liverpool sign Khephren Thuram?
Thuram is still in the early phases of what is setting up to be a prosperous career at the forefront of the European game, but has already been hailed as an "elite" midfielder by journalist Zach Lowy.
Such a claim is not baseless either; far from it. The one-cap Frenchman made 35 appearances in Ligue 1 last season and earned an average Sofascore rating of 7.04 – for comparison, only Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara chalked up a higher score (7.06) – completing 87% of his passes, averaging 1.1 shots and key passes per game, making 1.5 tackles per match and succeeding with 66% of his dribbles,
Hailed as a "monster" by Sam McGuire, the robust conductor is an embodiment of the energy and intensity that Klopp demands to fuel his high-octane system, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
When Keita signed for the Merseyside giants for £48m in 2018 – a club record at the time – there was a weight of expectation over his future performances, but now he leaves after a "woeful" couple of years, savaged by injury issues.
The Guinean star has missed a shocking 103 matches due to injury since his arrival, having actually only played for Klopp's outfit 129 times.
And with the 28-year-old producing a dreadful average Sofascore rating last term of 6.47, completing just 78% of his passes and making just 0.6 tackles per game, it's evident that bringing Thuram to the fold will only enhance the central midfield.
While the ability of Keita's game, the technicality of his skill set, was never in question, his frustrating inability to unshackle himself from the Anfield medical room has resulted in a poignant exit from the club after arriving with such promise from Germany.
But Reds fans need fear not, Thuram is the "perfect profile" – as he has been dubbed by reporter Alex Jaquin – and will eradicate an issue that has plagued Klopp's side for the past year.