Sunderland and Newcastle United are both sniffing around Juventus midfielder Khephran Thuram, according to reports out of Italy. Calcio Mercato says the two North East clubs have made inquiries about the 25-year-old French international, who has been a regular for the Serie A side since arriving from Nice in 2023.
The Black Cats haven’t made a single signing yet this summer, which is a little unusual given they’re gearing up for their first Europa League campaign in a minute. But their director of football Florent Ghisolfi has been pretty clear about the plan: stability over big changes. Fine line to walk when you’re about to play European football for the first time in ages, though.
One thing working in their favor? Granit Xhaka looks like he’s staying put despite Chelsea sniffing around. That’s a big piece of the midfield puzzle locked down, which might give Sunderland a bit more freedom to get creative elsewhere.
More Than Just a Local Derby Situation
This isn’t just a two-horse race between the Wear-Tyne rivals. Nottingham Forest — reportedly sitting on a fat pile of cash after the Elliot Anderson sale brought in £115 million — have also made their interest known. Manchester United and Liverpool are keeping tabs on Thuram too, though neither has made a formal approach yet.
And then there’s the international element. Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain are all listed as potential suitors. So if Sunderland or Newcastle want to pull this off, they’re going to have to beat out some heavyweight competition.
Thuram has quietly become one of the more reliable box-to-box midfielders in Italy. He’s not flashy, but he covers ground, wins duels, and has a knack for picking the right pass in transition. For a club like Sunderland that’s about to get a taste of European football, that kind of profile could be exactly what they need without blowing up the wage structure.
Neither club has confirmed anything publicly, obviously. But with the window still wide open and Thuram’s name floating around, this is one to keep an eye on as July drags on.
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