Juventus midfielder closes the door: “I would never play for Inter, Spalletti is a genius” | OneFootball

Juventus star Khephren Thuram doesn’t fancy playing for Inter, even if it means reuniting with his older brother, Marcus.

The two siblings are the sons of legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, who represented the Bianconeri between 2001 and 2006.

In the summer of 2023, Marcus raised eyebrows by joining the Nerazzurri. But a year later, Khephren ended up following his father’s footsteps by signing for Juventus.

Since then, the two brothers have enjoyed an amicable rivalry on and off the pitch. Curiously, they both scored in the last edition of Derby d’Italia, which Juventus won in dramatic fashion.

Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram would never sign for Inter

Earlier in January, Juventus enquired about Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi, and their rivals replied by suggesting a swap deal involving Khephren Thuram.

The Bianconeri certainly weren’t enticed by this prospect, as they consider the Frenchman essential to their plans.

For his part, Thuram has now insisted that he was never going to accept a move to the San Siro outfit.

“You can’t chase every rumour. I’m happy at Juve and I’d never go to Inter,” said Khephren in his interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“A brotherly reunion at Juve? No, Marcus has his own team. We play together with France, that’s enough.”

Khephren Thuram (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

The midfielder also spoke about the work conducted under Luciano Spalletti, whom he describes as a genius.

“On video, I analyse my own movements with Michele, one of Spalletti’s assistants. At Juventus, every minute is important, even when you’re eating. In Italy, for example, I learned not to put Parmesan on fish like in France.

“In the video room, he’s put up lots of little notes; they’re useful information. There’s one that reminds us to turn our heads on the pitch.

“I’ve learned from all my coaches, but Spalletti is the one with the most experience. He’s a genius: he sees things others don’t even imagine. I can become a stronger player thanks to him.”

Childhood memories of Messi & Ronaldinho

The 24-year-old recalled his childhood, when he had the opportunity to meet some of the biggest stars at Juventus and Barcelona during his father’s playing days.

“As a kid, I met a lot of great players in our living room. I’m thinking of Vieira, Henry or Tudor, who gave me and my brother a beautiful robot.

“I don’t remember Antonio Conte, but my dad has told me a lot about him and his personality at Juventus

“When my dad moved from Juventus to Barcelona, we often went with him to training. Messi was already incredibly strong as a kid, and once he gave Marcus a pair of football boots.

“Ronaldinho, besides being phenomenal with the ball at his feet, was kind and always cheerful. My brother and I picked up a bit of his smile. Life is beautiful, and you have to laugh.”