The Reds’ ageing midfield was exposed throughout a difficult 2022–23 season, which resulted in Jurgen Klopp’s team finishing sixth in the Premier League standings.

They have already made an effort to solve some of these concerns by bringing in Argentine star Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton, and 90min has it on good authority that they still have at least one more midfielder they want to recruit before the summer transfer window closes.

They are keeping an eye on Manu Kone of Borussia Monchengladbach and Thuram of Nice, who is the brother of Marcus, a highly sought-after forward and the son of French icon Lillian.

According to reports, Nice is willing to sell Thuram, but they won’t be pushed into a quick transaction. PSG and Liverpool are in negotiations for a deal.

Tuesday, Konate claimed that Thuram and he have a close friendship and that Konate would be thrilled to see Thuram join Liverpool.

“Khephren, he’s like a younger brother, he’s someone I saw grow,” Thuram began.

“I was with his older brother at academy level. I saw him perform well and progress greatly…it was incredible. Even when he came to join the French national team for his first cap. I saw him in training and I was really surprised by his height and his technical ability.

“[I would be] very happy to see him join Liverpool, I would take him under my wing and I will do everything to help him progress. Now it’s his turn to work. But I’ll do everything for him to become a top player.”

Since moving to Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021, Konate has advanced steadily individually. He made his senior France debut last year and has since earned nine caps at the senior level.

The defender will travel to the European Championships with the Under-21 team while Thuram has been called up to Didier Deschamps’ squad for the June internationals.

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Jurgen Klopp has provided an explanation for why he substituted Virgil van Dijk at half-time in Liverpool’s 3-1 loss at Brentford on Monday.

The Reds fell behind to an own goal from Ibrahima Konate before poor defending allowed Yoane Wissa to add a second before the half-time break.

During the half, Klopp substituted Harvey Elliott, Kostas Tsimikas, and Van Dijk and replaced them with Joel Matip, Andy Robertson, and Naby Keita. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back early in the second half, but Bryan Mbeumo sealed the victory late.

After the game, Klopp was questioned by the media on his choice to take Van Dijk out of the lineup in particular.

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“Hopefully not [an injury]. Virgil felt his muscle a little and that is fine, he’s a good judge of these kind of things. But I didn’t want to take any risk,” he said.

“The physios looked quite happy when I said we don’t take risks. I think it’s not an injury, it’s just he felt the intensity.”

Explaining why he brought off Tsimikas and Elliott, Klopp added: “The other two things were tactical. We obviously have opportunities, we could bring Naby on, who I think played a really good game, and Robbo, and he was in the first action after half-time. He was what we needed, we needed that speed in behind. That was the reason for these two changes.”

Liverpool now sit four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United having played a game more than their bitter foes.

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Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate are the latest players to fall ill in the France team ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina, pushing the number up to five.

France manager Didier Deschamps had already confirmed that winger Kingsley Coman would be the third player, while Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano were both ruled out of the semi-final victory over Croatia after contracting a virus that a handful of players blamed on the air conditioning systems used in Qatari stadiums.

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Coman complained of flu-like symptoms and Deschamps conceded on Friday morning that France has the battle to avoid an outbreak in the camp ahead of the final against Argentina in two days.

“Coman had a fever this morning,” Deschamps said. “We have had a few cases of flu-like symptoms. We are trying to be careful so that it does not spread. The players have put in a great effort on the pitch and obviously their immune systems have suffered.

“Dayot Upamecano felt bad right after the game against England. It happens when you exert yourself so much, you are more prone to getting these viruses. We’re taking all the necessary precautions.”

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Ibrahima Konate has revealed why his career management is a family affair and how that approach helped to secure him a transfer to Liverpool.

The 23-year-old defender originally caught the spotlight at Sochaux in his native France before moving on to improve his profile in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. He is a member of France’s team for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A £36 million ($43m) move to Anfield was then made in the summer of 2021, where he benefited from having his brothers close by for guidance and long-term planning.

Konate has told GOAL why he puts so much faith in the hands of family members: “They have been there since I started football. The more you grow and pass stages in football, the more you realise that there are a lot of people trying to come around you. Sometimes you take stock and you realise that the people around you have a personal interest. They [family] want the best for me and they are the only people I can trust.”

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Konate added on the process that saw him link up with Premier League heavyweights, as Jurgen Klopp bought into his potential: “When we found out there was Liverpool, we got together and talked. Ok, there’s Liverpool, there’s Leipzig, what do we do now? In our discussion, we look forward to the next four or five years and everyone gives their idea and their point of view.

Everyone says different things and no one is going to tell you you’re wrong. It’s like a puzzle, once I’ve put everyone’s points of view together, well, I see things more clearly. And the decision is easier to make but in the end, it’s me who makes the decision.”

The highly regarded centre-half has made 33 appearances for Liverpool thus far, and as France looks to defend their title in the Middle East, he will be hoping to return to Merseyside at the end of December with a World Cup trophy in his possession.

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