Nice starlet Khephren Thuram is likely to be a name in the headlines this summer with his future a topic of hot speculation.
Linked with Liverpool, Manchester United and PSG among others, he is likely to leave the French Riviera during the next transfer window.
FootballTransfers chief correspondent Jacque Talbot looks at his strengths, his current transfer value and why he might yet prove a spectacular acquisition for one of Europe’s footballing elite.
The Nice sensation linked with Liverpool and Man Utd
Khephren Thuram has been making waves in the football world with his impressive performances for Nice in Ligue 1.
The Frenchman has been linked with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain in recent days, while we revealed recently that Liverpool even had talks with the youngster.
The 22-year-old central midfielder operates as a ball-playing No.6 who makes progressive carries in abundance. Despite his towering frame, Thuram is able to forge opportunities owing to his nimble feet inside the box.
You might recognise the name, and not just because of the amount of transfer speculation around him right now. Khephren is the son of Lilian Thuram, the legendary French defender, and the younger brother of attacker Marcus Thuram, who plays for Borussia Monchengladbach.
This particular Thuram was born in 2001 in Parma, while his father was still playing in Serie A. He made his first-team debut for Monaco in August 2019 at the age of 18.
Known for his physicality, composure on the ball and ability to read the game, compounded with his spellbinding quick feet and dribbling ability, many clubs have registered an interest in the player, who is set to leave Nice in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Khephren Thuram strengths
Thuram's breakthrough season came in the 2020-21 campaign, where he established himself as a regular in the Monaco team and helped them finish third in the Ligue 1 standings.
In that season he made 25 league appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist.
His performances earned him a call-up to the French Under-21 team, where he has already made five appearances, while he was given an opportunity with the France first team last month.
Thuram is a dynamic and direct deep-lying midfielder, who can also play in a more advanced role on the left of a midfield three. He shares both physical and playing style similarities with Paul Pogba, but arguably has a bit more of a competitive streak.
Thuram’s greatest strength is his dribbling; he is a powerful runner with the ball and has the ability and strength to shimmy and brush past players.
He attempts over seven dribbles and 3.7 carries per 90 minutes and has been the best-performing central or defensive midfielder at dribbling in the Ligue 1 over the past two seasons.
Khephren also reads the game well defensively, as highlighted by his high performance in suppressing the passing and dribbling of his opponents.
He is also good at recovering the ball in his own third, as he uses his 6ft 3in frame to make tackles and intercept the ball.
But his defensive numbers can certainly improve, especially when you compare them to those produced by Aurelien Tchouameni before his departure for Real Madrid.
Thuram’s intelligence also shines through on the offensive side, with great positioning in the half-space and in the final third. He can though improve in terms of what he does when he receives the ball, especially creatively.
A hot property, with a transfer value to match
Thuram's xTV (Expected Transfer Value) has grown incrementally since his time at Monaco, where he was valued at just €0.3million.
He reached €6m while at Nice in 2021 and today sits at €22.3m - that can grow further still when you consider the interest right now. Furthermore, his €4m jump from last year continues a strong progression.
Interest from Liverpool is understandable, as he would be a perfect fit for the Anfield giants in terms of his playing style. With both Thiago and Jordan Henderson now past 30, he could slot right into the midfield and get significant playing time.
In terms of his eventual destination though he has no fixed ideas, preferring to concentrate instead on his own growth and performance. This was highlighted in a recent interview with The Telegraph.
“As a man, as a football player. I don’t know exactly where that is going to take me but I want to be the best version of myself. If that is to play somewhere my whole life then fine. If it is to play at one of the top clubs then I want to achieve that,” he explained.
Which way now for a superstar in the making?
Though Thuram has played down talk of a move right now, the vibes are that this is not the case. His departure from Nice at the end of this season is highly likely.
Khephren is a fluent speaker of Italian, French, and English, while he has a considered and affable personality and would be able to blend into any dressing room quite easily.
At such a young age, and with the versatility that every club dreams about in the modern era, you can see why a whole host of clubs are queuing up to sign him right now.
Indeed, everything points to another great footballing Thuram - and not just because of his famous surname. If he proves half as good as his illustrious father, the world should take notice.
