Newcastle United may now have a free run at Nice star Khephren Thuram after Premier League rivals Liverpool turned their attention to RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
With Szoboszlai joining Alexis Mac Allister at Anfield, a engine which had grown clunky and rusty suddenly has a couple of shiny new parts, and a much-needed oil change.
Liverpool completed the £60 million signing of Hungary international Szoboszlai over the weekend.
And, according to CBS Soccer reporter Ben Jacobs, the former Salzburg star’s arrival spells the end of Liverpool’s interest in another highly-energetic, ball-carrying dynamo who looks ready for a big-money move up the footballing ladder.
“Understand Liverpool now don’t plan to sign Khephren Thuram following Dominik Szoboszlai’s arrival,” Jacobs writes on Twitter.
“Talks are not taking place with Nice this week.”
Newcastle overtake Liverpool in Khephren Thuram race
Jacobs insists that Thuram’s price was ‘not an obstacle’. The barnstorming France U21 international is, according the Daily Mail, available for £8 million less than the fee Liverpool paid for Szoboszlai.
It’s just that, with Szoboszlai now following in Mac Allister’s footsteps, Liverpool are likely to focus their remaining budget elsewhere, perhaps on a more deep-lying, defensively-astute option. Thuram, like Szoboszlai and Mac Allister, is more comfortable going forwards than he is going back; his dreadlocks swaying as he embarks on one of those trademark slaloming runs towards the penalty area.
It now remains to be seen if Thuram will see a potential move to Newcastle United go the same way. Newcastle, like Liverpool, have also completed a mega-money midfield signing; Sandro Tonali arriving from AC Milan for a cool £55 million.
The Northern Echo believe that Thuram is still an option to join Tonali at St James’ Park. Head coach Eddie Howe wants another midfielder before September 1st. And Thuram possesses the blend of technique and tenacity the former Bournemouth boss looks for.
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