Italian giants Juventus have reportedly made Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram their number one transfer target amid competition from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
The Bianconeri have been plunged into a midfield crisis due to the off-field indiscretions of Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli, the former of whom tested positive for non-endogenous testosterone earlier this season.
A random drugs test taken from August showed abnormally high levels of the hormone, and a subsequent counter-analysis confirmed the diagnosis, which could see the Frenchman punished by a ban of up to four years.
The former Manchester United man — whose second stint in Turin has also been blighted by injuries — is expected to have his contract ripped up if he is slapped with a lengthy suspension as expected, while Fagioli is already on the banned list amid the recent Italian betting scandal.
The 22-year-old recently admitted to gambling on illegal platforms and has been suspended for seven months by the Italian Football Federation, meaning that he will not be able to represent his club again until May.
While Fagioli will therefore be eligible to return for Juventus in the 2024-25 season barring any extensions to his suspension, Juve will be on the lookout for a permanent successor to Pogba next summer.
The future of Adrien Rabiot is also clouded in uncertainty amid persistent links with Manchester United, although the former Paris Saint-Germain lynchpin has hinted that he is prepared to sign a contract extension in Turin.
Nevertheless, with Pogba set to bid a bittersweet farewell, Calciomercato states Nice's Thuram is at the top of the Old Lady's engine room wishlist for next summer's transfer window.
The 22-year-old's stock has risen significantly
Read on sportsmole.co.uk