- Tuesday evening brought claims that Liverpool have begun talks to sign two young French midfielders in Khephren Thuram and Manu Kone.
With the season now over and their sporting director in place, the Reds are expected to move quickly to bring in new additions.
The priority for Jurgen Klopp is to bolster his midfield, and with a deal for Brighton‘s Alexis Mac Allister lined up, other candidates are now being pursued.
Two exciting options have come to the fore this week, with sources in France and Germany claiming talks are underway for OGC Nice’s Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Kone.
L’Equipe – following a claim from GOAL’s Neil Jones that Liverpool are “definitely interested” – report that the club have been in contact over Thuram “for a few weeks.
It is claimed that meetings have already been held with the 22-year-old’s representatives, with a move to Anfield “liked.
though this may simply be brinkmanship for a club eager to maximise on the value of the son of French legend Lilian Thuram.
In Germany, SPORT BILD‘s reliable Tobi Altschaffl reports that Liverpool have also contacted Kone, 22, over a possible switch from Gladbach.
Their enquiries began before Jorg Schmadtke was in place as sporting director, it is claimed, with Gladbach likely to start negotiations at £35 million.
The club’s interested is described as “big,” and though Kone’s contract runs to 2025 with an option to extend for a further 12 months, Gladbach “need quick income” and it is “already clear that he will leave.”
While Liverpool are unlikely to be the only suitors for either Thuram or Kone, they have certainly emerged as interesting targets.
They are both capable of operating as deep-lying midfielders with the ability to break up play, but also to progress through the middle of the park and play progressive passes.Both 22 and with experience in top-level leagues, the Frenchmen would have the potential of revitalising Klopp’s engine room.
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