Khéphren Thuram sent a timely reminder of his quality to Liverpool amid cross-relationships but questions must be raised as to whether he can truly resolve the Fabinho issue at the club.
The January transfer window is well underway and while time is ticking for Liverpool to sort out their midfield woes, one of their potential targets has just sent them a timely reminder.
According to Football Transfers, Khéphren Thuram, valued at $27m (£22m/€25m) by Transfermarkt, is a candidate for Liverpool on the transfer market and on Wednesday night the 21-year-old Nice midfielder didn’t hesitate to show himself the kind of class he could offer the Reds should the club make a move.
At the home game against Montpellier, Thuram was one of the main architects of a neat demolition job demanded by Nice in Ligue 1 on Wednesday. The France youth international scored one goal and registered one assist in the game while also creating the most chances (four). and providing plenty of energy in the heart of Nice midfield. Thuram is an ideal profile in terms of work ethic and style of play for the Liverpool midfielder. His age profile is also something that makes him a suitable candidate, but whether he is the right candidate for Liverpool in the January transfer window is questionable.
Right now, the Liverpool midfielder is suffering from his inability to provide solidity and win challenges. Thuram is a technically gifted midfielder who provides plenty of energy going forward, but he’s not necessarily the voracious winner Jürgen Klopp’s midfielder is clamoring for at the moment.
Even in the game against Montpellier, Thuram only won four of his nine duels, and overall he only ranks in the 43rd percentile among his Ligue 1 position peers for tackles won (1.08 for 90) according to FBref. He wins just 47.4% of his tackles attempted, which is certainly slightly higher than Fabinho’s return (44.4%) in the Premier League, but that 3.0 difference could easily shrink to the same level, if not worse, in a faster and tougher competition.
Even when it comes to interceptions, Thuram only scores in the 51st percentile for midfielders, which is relatively poor compared to average rather than the kind of return that could represent a transformational change for Liverpool’s current midfield.
Of course, having another option in midfield isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and someone like Thuram could certainly fill Georginio Wijnaldum’s role at the club, i.e. be an energetic midfielder who runs fast forward, keeps possession and contributes goals and assists in the last third, being able to cover other areas of the field if necessary.
Liverpool also need that kind of midfield profile, and Thuram would be a savvy addition to that. However, when it comes to providing Klopp with the solution he so desperately needs in defense and the stability to solve Liverpool’s problems in midfield, Thuram’s competence for that role is questionable. However, beggars can’t be picky and Liverpool may have to make do with what they can get in the current market. After all, not signing a midfielder in the January window would always be the worst alternative and one that could mean a long and trying season for the club’s supporters.