Newcastle United appear to be stepping up their interest in Nice midfielder, Khephren Thuram, having only just wrapped up a deal for Italy international, Sandro Tonali.
What's the latest on Thuram to Newcastle?
According to journalist Rudy Galetti, it does appear that the Magpies are set to make their move for the signing of the promising Frenchman, with Eddie Howe and co ready to rival Liverpool for the 22-year-old's signature.
Writing on Twitter, the respected insider stated: "Khephren #Thuram, as told yesterday, #Newcastle are moving for the midfielder and are serious for him. #Liverpool are pushing hard for the [French] player, but are also concretely approaching Romeo #Lavia: #Southampton won't give discount and will rejected any bid below £50m."
If the Tynesiders are to land the highly-coveted playmaker this summer, previous reports have suggested that the Italy-born maestro could command a fee of around £55m, with his current deal set to expire in 2025.
Would Khephren Thuram be a good signing for Newcastle?
Despite the recent £55m capture of the aforementioned Tonali, a further midfield addition looks likely to be on the cards for those at St James' Park ahead of next season, with PIF having previously lodged a £50m offer for Inter Milan sensation, Nicolo Barella.
As per the Independent, however, Newcastle are considering alternatives to the latter man due to the Serie A side's reported £80m valuation, hence turning to a "powerful" talent like Thuram – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – who is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with the Italian, as per FBref.
In the case of Barella, the "box to box" gem – as described by pundit Jamie Carragher – is particularly adept at driving forward from his deep-lying berth, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 11% among his European peers for progressive carries, as well as averaging 1.92 touches per 90 in the attacking penalty area.
That record is undoubtedly similar to that of Thuram, with the 6 foot 4 ace – who has also been categorised as a "box to box" asset by Kulig – ranking in the top 6% for progressive carries, while also averaging 2.16 touches per 90 in the opposition box.
The pair have both been able to translate that forward-thinking approach into providing an end product, with Thuram chipping in with two goals and four assists in 35 Ligue 1 games last season, while Barella contributed six goals and six assists in 35 Serie A outings.
Not just a threat in an attacking sense, both men can also hold their own defensively, with the Inter star having recorded a solid average of 1.4 tackles per game last term, while the Nice ace was only just ahead having averaged 1.5 for that same metric.
With Barella recognised as "one of the best in Europe" – in the words of Carragher – it is safe to assume that Thuram could be on a similar trajectory such is the comparison between the pair, hence why the youngster would represent an ideal alternative as far as Howe is concerned.
