Man City ‘intent’ on fast swoop for £35m Liverpool target that’ll leave Klopp short yet again
Pep Guardiola watches his Manchester City squad train
Manchester City reportedly have ‘concrete’ interest in Khephren Thuram, and are ‘intent on making the move as early as January,’ beating Liverpool to the punch.
City never really look as if they desperately need to sign anybody. However, when they do make the signings, they tend to add something to the side.
Jeremy Doku is a good recent example of that. A side with Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez in its ranks could have survived without a new winger, with all those men capable of playing out wide.
They’d just won the treble without the pace of Doku. However, nobody can argue with his production this season before his injury, particularly when he scored a goal and assisted four more in one game against Bournemouth.
The signing of a new central midfielder seems to be the next on Guardiola’s list, though.
Kalvin Phillips has definitely not worked out at the Etihad and Matheus Nunes seems to be going down the same path as him.
As such, City could cancel out the bad signings if they make a good one, and it’ll all be worthwhile if they find themselves lifting silverware again come the end of the season.
City were recently said to have ‘made contact’ with Nice regarding a move for France international Thuram.
City ‘intent’ on signing Thuram
An update on that interest suggests a move could soon be coming.
Indeed, according to TV Play, City have made a ‘concrete move’ for the midfielder, which seems to reinforce that contact has been made rather than a bid being lodged.
However, it might not be long until there is an actual bid for Thuram.
Indeed, the report suggests City seem ‘intent on making the the move as early as January’. With the window now open, that could be one that happens quickly.
The report states Pep Guardiola’s side, like any other club, will have to pay approximately £35million.
It’s added that City are ‘willing to satisfy the economic demands’ of Nice in order to land Thuram.
Guardiola could devastate Klopp
That’s as he’s seen as ‘the right reinforcement to further raise the already very high level’ of the club’s midfield.
City’s gain could be Liverpool’s loss. The Reds are said to be ‘serious’ about the signing of Thuram – who they’ve held an interest in for some time – in January.
The Frenchman can play either as a holding-midfielder or as a genuine no.8. It’s likely at City that he’d play in the more advanced role while Rodri is at the club, but given Thuram is only 22, he could move into the Spaniard’s position down the line if and when he moves on.
But Liverpool no doubt want him to play the holding-midfield position, which has been filled by midfielders who aren’t as comfortable in it as Jurgen Klopp would like since Fabinho left in the summer.
The Reds failed to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both opted for Chelsea in the summer, and City could also devastate them by stealing their next holding-midfield target.
Thuram could become the difference-maker that either side needs to lift the title, so both will be eager to beat the other to him.
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