Liverpool have distinguished burgeoning OGC Nice maestro Khephren Thuram as a potential midfield saviour to serve as a centrepiece for success over the coming years.

Jurgen Klopp's often imperious outfit have fallen below standards this season after a spectacular term last time out, with the relentless storm of the squad subsiding to little more than a breezy wind, and reinforcements are integral to the side's future success.

The centre of the park has been under heavy scrutiny, with scores of names consequently linked, and now the Merseyside outfit are reportedly in talks over a move for the €20m (£18m) Thuram, who could bring the requisite tools to lift the club back towards prominence.

De Jong 2.0

One can only imagine the force that the Reds would surge into the league should the midfield re-establish the finally-poised balance and intensity that has been intrinsically woven into Klopp's side, and someone of Thuram's ilk could be the catalyst.

The 21-year-old, having made 27 appearances across all competitions for his French Ligue 1 outfit this season, has scored a goal and provided five assists from his deep-lying role, and has consistently captivated with the maturity and composure he has exuded.

Nice have been mediocre this term, sitting in tenth place in the league, but the 20 goals shipped can be bettered by no team perched outside the top three.

And Thuram, who has recorded an average seasonal Ligue 1 rating of 6.96, has chipped in with 1.3 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per match, as per Sofascore, often anchoring the midfield and providing respite for the defenders.

But more importantly, his creativity is allowing the rest of the collective efforts to subsequently flourish, enhancing his teammates with his ball-playing prowess and intelligence in dictating the play; the Frenchman's 88% passing accuracy is complemented by five big chances created, 0.9 key passes per match and a 62% dribble success rate, excelling in carrying the ball into dangerous areas.

Hailed by Patrick Vieira - when he managed the outfit - for his “hard-working” approach, Thuram could be a shrewd alternative to Frenkie de Jong, with the £65m FC Barcelona midfielder heavily touted by Manchester United, with reports over the past few months also linking Liverpool to a transfer. 

A player of supreme grace and a brilliant orchestrator of play, De Jong has been pivotal for Barca this season as they look to reclaim the Spanish La Liga throne, but he would likely cost an exorbitant amount of money to prise him away from Catalonia.

As per FBref, the Dutch sensation is the sixth-most comparable player to the budding talent of Thuram, who ranks in the top 20% of midfielders across Europe for pass completion and the top 15% for dribbles completed, despite his inexperience.

As he continues to develop his game, there is no reason why Klopp cannot mould Thuram with his own clay, nurturing his growing skill set and finally unleashing a player with all the natural ability and guile to emulate De Jong as one of the standout maestros on the European scene.