Prospective Man Utd owner could hold the key to one of Liverpool’s summer transfer pursuits
If Liverpool are to land one of their summer transfer targets, they may first need to convince a prospective owner of Manchester United to sanction the deal.
As per L’Equipe, Khephren Thuram is a midfielder of interest to the Reds, with the 22-year-old currently playing with Nice in Ligue 1. That’s the club owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who of course is in the running to secure a takeover at Old Trafford.
As noted by RMC Sport and the Daily Express, the 70-year-old is playing hardball in negotiations with the Anfield giants over the France international, demanding at least €40m (£35m) if they’re to do business, following a meeting between LFC officials and the player’s entourage.
The prospect of a future Man United owner facilitating a transfer which would help a direct competitor and arch-rival in Liverpool may seem difficult to comprehend, which might make it tougher for Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke to get their man.
However, it’s worth noting that Ratcliffe is by no means a certainty to replace the Glazers at Old Trafford, with Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani also in the running (Sky Sports).
From the Reds’ perspective, they’ll be hoping that irrespective of whether or not the Nice owner also takes the reins in Manchester, they can summon an offer for Thuram that the 70-year-old would find too difficult to turn down.
With Alexis Mac Allister set to cost £60m and Manu Kone seemingly attainable for less than £35m, the Ligue 1 club’s asking price for the 22-year-old shouldn’t be overly prohibitive for Liverpool.
If the Anfield recruitment team can present an attractive bid for the France midfielder, Ratcliffe may then hold the key to whether or not any transfer goes through. The septuagenarian’s interest in a takeover at Man United adds another rather compelling dimension.
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