Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have been linked with Marcus Thuram of Borussia Monchengladbach and he could be the perfect transfer for the Reds…
The sound was like a cheetah bolting towards its prey. Robert Skov could hear him coming. Hurtling on the turf as the ball drifted towards the Danish international. But there was nothing Skov could do, by the time he had blinked, the winger already had the ball. With a new burst of pace, he slalomed past one, then two and unleashed a venomous shot into the corner of the net leaving Skov scratching his head.
The PreZero Park were left awed by the spectacle.
Change the setting to Anfield and that kind of run is synonymous with Liverpool’s deadly duo.
However, on that chilly Autumn day in the clash between Hoffenheim and Borussia Monchengladbach, it was neither Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah who had capitalised on a mistake by the opponent. It was Borussia’s Marcus Thuram.
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You might recognise the surname. The French winger has football flowing through his veins.
His father, Lilian is a French icon. The most capped French international of all time. A World Cup and European Championship winner who had played for both Juventus and Barcelona.
Few players ever surpass the reputation of their fathers. Often it’s a curse and a burden for a young footballer. However, Marcus Thuram could be one of the few outliers.
The 22-year-old does not seem fazed by the prospect. The young Frenchman exudes confidence. He is driven and ambitious.
On and off the pitch. You can see it on his stride. The way his chest juts out and his customary grin.
His idols are the two Ronaldos. They are players who Thuram models his game on and there are certainly flashes of both when you watch the young Frenchman play.
Thuram is a versatile player. He is comfortable playing on the flanks in a front three, or as a forward.
He is tall, frighteningly tall in fact, at 1.92 metres. Often players with such menacing height become one dimensional. They rely on their physical presence and neglect their technical ability.
But while Thuram is formidable in the air, he can do much more than that. The French winger inherited his father’s lightning-quick pace, and on top of that Thuram has added guile and flair to his game too.
Just like his idols, Thuram is an accomplished dribbler, he likes to isolate opponents and take them on one on one with clever feints and tricks.
That certainly makes Thuram of the same ilk as Salah or Mane.
He is well suited to the aggressive pressing which Klopp has instilled at Liverpool too. Monchengladbach play a similar style and the Frenchman has an average of 2.3 interceptions per game this season.
His physical prowess could also add another dimension to Liverpool’s play.
The Reds have faced more and more increasingly deep-lying defences in the Premier League this season.
Thuram could add height to Liverpool’s front three. His presence up front would mean Alexander-Arnold will finally have a feasible target to aim at inside the opposition’s box, and it could make the right-back’s crosses even more lethal.
If Liverpool is to retain their front three in the summer, Klopp will not need to splash out on a flashy £100 million signing. He will only need to bolster the squad with the right back-ups. Players who have the ability to deputise in place of Salah and Mane.
Marcus Thuram is tailor-made for that role. The player would thrive in the Premier League and the extra option he could give the Reds going forward could be the key to ensure Klopp’s side become unbeatable.
Do you think Marcus Thuram would be a good signing for Liverpool?