Arsenal make ‘approach’ for ‘Jude Bellingham-type box-to-box midfielder’

Subhankar Mondal 04 Apr 2025 11:06 AM

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram

Arsenal have made an approach for Khephren Thuram, with a report in Italy revealing Juventus’s response to the Gunners as well as to Manchester United and Newcastle United about the midfielder, who has been compared to Steven Gerrard and Jude Bellingham.

Although Arsenal are still in the Premier League title race and have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the north London club are fully aware of the need to strengthen their squad. Liverpool are doing extremely well in Arne Slot’s side first season in charge and can only do better in the 2025-26 campaign, while defending Premier League champions Manchester City will be determined to bounce back.

TEAMtalk has consistently reported that Arsenal’s main priority in the summer transfer window is to sign a striker.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s dream target, while RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko is also of interest to the Gunners.

The north London club could do with freshening up the midfield, too, as they aim to compete with the likes of Liverpool, Man City and potentially Chelsea for the Premier League title next season.

Thomas Partey is out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season, while the future of Jorginho is also uncertain.

It seems that Arsenal, who recently appointed Andrea Berta as their Sporting Director, have made an approach for 24-year-old Juventus and France international midfielder Thuram.

According to TuttoJuve, ‘in recent days, several Premier League clubs have tried to approach Juventus for Khephren Thuram’.

The report has revealed that Arsenal, Man United and Newcastle all like the midfielder, who has been on the books of Juventus since the summer of 2024 when he joined from Nice.

The son of France legend Lilian Thuram, the 24-year-old has scored four goals and given four assists in 40 appearances for Juventus this season.

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is a huge fan of Thuram, and in August 2023, he urged the Reds to sign the midfielder, comparing him to a young Steven Gerrard and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

The Express quoted Pennant as saying at the time: “Liverpool should sign ‘young Gerrard’ Khephren Thuram as their Fabinho replacement – he’d be an upgrade on Henderson. I’d like to see Liverpool sign Khephren Thuram, he plays for Nice and he’s a box-to-box midfielder.

“I think he would be perfect, he’s skillful and he can tackle too. He’s like a young Gerrard, basically. He’s a Jude Bellingham type player and he’d be your Fabinho replacement and he could play with Alexis Mac Allister. He could cover the whole of midfield like a better Henderson.”

Juventus stance on Khephren Thuram

According to TuttoJuve, Juventus have no plan whatsoever of selling Thuram, having signed him less than a year ago.

Despite the approaches from Arsenal, Man Utd and Newcastle, Juventus have made it clear that Thuram is ‘among the unsellable and will not let him leave’.

Juventus are one of the biggest clubs in Italy, and although the Bianconeri are not going to win the Scudetto this season, they can certainly finish in the top four of the Serie A table and qualify for the Champions League.

The Turn-based club are currently fifth with 55 points from 30 matches, just a point behind fourth-placed Bologna and three points behind Atalanta in third.