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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Liam Wood

Ibrahima Konate speaks out on Khephren Thuram as Liverpool transfer talk grows

Ibrahima Konate has delivered a cheeky transfer message to Liverpool target Khephren Thuram.

Having snapped-up Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton already, the Reds will continue their chase for other midfield additions when the summer transfer window formally opens on Wednesday morning.

However, it seems as though 'agent Konate' may already be putting in ground work for Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment team.

Thuram, 22, and France's next generation - including another player Liverpool have their eye on in Manu Kone - are gearing up for the upcoming U21s European Championships.

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That tournament will take place in Romania and Georgia as the Reds prepare to take a closer look at two midfield options who feature high on their proposed shopping list.

So what has Konate, 24, done to sweeten that would-be deal for Thuram as speculation over his OGC Nice future mounts?

As quoted by RMC Sport, the Liverpool defender - who arrived at Anfield for £36m from RB Leipzig two summers ago - said: "I would be very happy for him [Thuram] to come to Liverpool and I would take him under my wing and I would do everything for him to progress and become the player he wants to become."

Konate added: "Khephren is like my little brother, he's someone I saw growing up. I was with his big brother in the training centre, but I saw him grow. I saw him perform and progress at a level... It was incredible. Even when he came to the France team for his first selection. I saw him at the training and I was really surprised by his size and his technical ease.

"When I was in Leipzig and I signed for Liverpool, many people said that it was too early, that it was not the right choice. In the end, I proved all these people wrong so you shouldn't listen to people. If Khephren has the opportunity to come to a club like Liverpool, I think he will be surprised the enthusiasm that will come behind him.

"It's up to him to work. He's still very young but he has an incredible margin for improvement so I'm confident."

Having initially planned to pursue Jude Bellingham this summer, Liverpool will instead spread out their budget on multiple midfield transfers, with potential interest in centre-back targets too. Mac Allister, 24, was the first deal they got over the line for an undisclosed fee that is thought to have been triggered by a £35m-£45m release clause.

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