Liverpool have given up on their pursuit of OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, it has been reported, as the Reds look to push on with a move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia instead.
The Reds have undergone massive changes in midfield already this summer, signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton in a deal worth a potential £55m and shelling out £60m for Hungarian midfield star Dominik Szoboszlai as they look to bounce back from a disappointing fifth-placed finish last season.
However, they are not done, and are looking for a more athletic option to complement the two already signed, with Kephren Thuram thought to be one of those under consideration.
A 6ft4 midfield engine, the Frenchman has risen to prominence with Nice across the past 12 months and made his senior debut for the French national team against the Netherlands in March, coming on in second half stoppage time.
However, despite their longstanding interest in the Frenchman it has been reported by CBS that Liverpool have opted not to do a deal for the midfielder this summer, even though he was available for a fee well less than 60m euros.
The arrival of Szoboszlai appears to have been instead of Thuram, with Liverpool now set to turn their attentions to a more deep-lying option, of whom Romeo Lavia is thought to be their preferred target.
They will face competition from across the Premier League though, with Arsenal also keen on signing the Belgian teenager this summer in a midfield rebuild of their own. With the Gunners still tied up in deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, the Reds will be hoping to steal a march on their rivals for the impressive Southampton man.
