31 May 2023 , 12:52
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The Manchester United takeover saga continues to drag on six months after the Glazer family announced the club was up for sale - and it could now have an effect on Liverpool's transfer plans.
Liverpool are looking to strengthen their midfield this summer after it was confirmed that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would all be leaving the club when their contracts expire. They were interested in a move for Jude Bellingham, but pulled out of the race to sign the Borussia Dortmund star due to the size of the rebuilding job on Jurgen Klopp's hands.
Bellingham would have cost upwards of £100m and Liverpool are instead looking to spend that money on signing multiple targets instead, with Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister among those heavily linked with a switch to Anfield.
And according to French newspaper L'Equipe, Liverpool are also interested in signing French midfielder Khephren Thuram, the son of legendary defender Lilian Thuram and the brother of Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram.
The 22-year-old recently made his international debut for France, earning his first senior cap in a Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands in March after impressing for Nice this season.
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The report states that Liverpool have been in talks over a move for Thuram for a 'few weeks' and that the player's camp are interested in the move. However, Nice do not want to sell Thuram and the fact that the club is owned by Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is currently trying to buy Liverpool's rivals Manchester United, only complicates matters further.
Thuram currently plays for Nice, who are owned by prospective Manchester United buyer Sir Jim Ratcliffe (Icon Sport via Getty Images)Ratcliffe is one of the frontrunners to purchase United from the Glazers, along with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani. Thuram was named in the Ligue 1 team of the season for his impressive performances and insisted he remains happy to stay at Nice despite the rumours.
Speaking at the UNFP awards earlier this month, Thuram said: "I want to progress, be on the pitch, have fun. For now, I'm at Nice, and that's going very well, I really like the club, so I still see myself at Nice.
"I am happy at Nice. There are rumours, I hear them, but I'm happy at Nice and I hope to grow with this club."