Liverpool could now land reported 2023 target for 75% less than last summer’s asking price

Think back to this time last year, when a spate of midfield departures left Liverpool in desperate need to refresh that area of the squad going into the summer transfer window.

One of the most hotly-linked names with a prospective move to Anfield was Khephren Thuram, who was reportedly valued at €60m (£51.6m) by Nice during the off-season.

Ultimately the Reds didn’t land the Frenchman, although four new midfielders were brought in as the necessary overhaul was completed, and LFC chiefs may now view it as a blessing in disguise not to have signed the 23-year-old few months ago.

According to French publication Nice-Matin, Thuram could be sold this summer for a fee as low as €15m-€20m (£12.9m-£17.2m), with the Ligue 1 club potentially enticed to cash in as the player enters the final year of his contract at the Allianz Riviera.

Missing out on Thuram last summer may have felt like a hammer blow at the time, especially with just two signings having been made by the start of the season, but the players who Liverpool did bring in have largely impressed.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old was deemed to have regressed during the current campaign despite Nice being in the mix for Champions League qualification, even being heckled by his own club’s fans on occasion (Nice-Matin).

The Frenchman has nonetheless stood out with his ball-carring ability over the past year, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 minutes (FBref).

Despite his vastly reduced market valuation, though, it seems unlikely that Liverpool would try to move for him this summer, with other parts of the squad expected to take priority after the full-scale midfield refresh of 2023.

That said, if Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes see him as someone who could be a strong addition at Anfield from next season, they might yet seek to pounce upon a player who represents far better value for money now than he did this time last year.