For manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group have been asked to sign a “young Steven Gerrard.” After weeks of transfer rumours linking the OGC Nice midfielder to Anfield, former Reds winger Jermaine Pennant has heaped high praise on Khephren Thuram.
This summer, Klopp has already welcomed two midfielders to Merseyside. After having had weeks to catch up in preseason, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister are each anticipated to have an effect on the first team in 2023–24.
Recently, Jordan Henderson joined Fabinho as the sixth midfielder to depart Liverpool during the current transfer window. Therefore, the Reds require further help, and Thuram is reportedly a player of interest.
Pennant has given his former team the go-ahead by gushing about the Nice star, likening him to Gerrard, and describing him as an improvement over Henderson.
“Liverpool should sign ‘young Gerrard’ Khephren Thuram as their Fabinho replacement — he’d be an upgrade over Henderson,” the 40-year-old said to Lord Ping. Khephren Thuram, a box-to-box midfielder who currently plays for Nice, is someone I’d like to see Liverpool sign.
“I believe he would be ideal; he is skilled and capable of tackling. He basically reminds me of a young Gerrard. He would be your Fabinho substitute and could team up with Alexis Mac Allister. He is a player in the mould of Jude Bellingham. He was a better Henderson at covering the entire midfield.
Liverpool and Newcastle are both credited with interest in Thuram, who could be attainable for as low as £34million. That being said, other reports place Nice’s asking price at a considerably higher sum.
Reds centre-back Ibrahima Konate spoke out on the prospect of Thuram’s arrival back in June, telling soccerhuz.com: “Khephren is like my little brother. He’s someone I saw growing up. I was with his big brother [Marcus] in the [international youth set-up] but Khephren… I saw him grow. I saw him perform and progress to a [high] level. It was incredible.
“Even when he was called up for the first time to the France team, I watched him in training and was very taken aback by his size and technical skill. If he came to Liverpool, I would be overjoyed.
“I would take him under my wing and do everything I could to help him advance and develop into the player he wants to be. He would have to put in some effort, but I would make every effort to develop him into a top player.
