Liverpool overtake Juventus in race to sign ‘phenomenal’ player, they’re ready to pay £45m now

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Liverpool have been installed as the favourites to sign OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram.

Earlier this week it had been claimed that although the Reds retained an interest in Thuram, they were trailing Juventus for his signature.

However, in an update yesterday, Italian site Tutto Juve now claim that Liverpool have ramped up their interest.

The Reds have reportedly ‘asked for the conditions of signing Thuram,’ with a £45m offer said to be in the works.

This push is claimed to have put Liverpool into the lead for the 22-year-old. Previously seen as the front-runners in this particular chase, Juve are now said to be trailing behind, with Inter Milan also struggling to match the Reds.

Thuram still on Liverpool agenda

For a period in the summer, it looked almost inevitable that Thuram was going to end up a Liverpool player.

Just after completing the addition of Alexis Mac Allister, the Reds were seemingly pushing hard to make the France international their next signing. But for whatever reason, that never materialised.

The claim from certain parts was that Liverpool simply weren’t prepared to pay Nice’s asking price for Thuram. Depending on what you read, that seemed to range from anywhere between £30m and £60m. Clearly, £45m is right slap-bang in the middle of that.

Despite that, we’re not sure Liverpool will have been convinced between then and now to go all in on the Nice midfielder.

Collectively, Francesco Farioli’s side have actually been brilliant this season. After 13 games of the Ligue 1 season they’re still unbeaten, sitting a point behind leaders PSG.

Thuram has played a big role in that, featuring in 11 of those 13 games, starting 10 of them. But without a goal contribution to date, he doesn’t look to have been all that influential.

Obviously, goals and assists aren’t always the making of a player. Despite his ability to drive forward, Thuram can often be a more defensively-minded midfielder, too.

He’s also been termed a ‘phenomenal’ player by French football expert Jonathan Johnson [Caught Offside]. As a result, Liverpool shouldn’t write him off.

You get the feeling that after all the hype of the past six months, Thuram will get his move sooner or later. Until he does, expect the Reds to continue to be linked.