France U21 coach Sylvain Ripoll is full of praise for Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram.

Thuram is a target for Liverpool and featured in France's U21 Euros win against Italy.

"Khephren brings us despite everything his leadership and his ability to keep the ball," Ripoll said. "You can't ask him for the impossible. He hadn't played for almost five weeks.

"He made the effort and we organised ourselves so that he could participate in part of the match because he is a very important boy in our group.

"I didn't expect him to be flamboyant, especially physically."