MILAN: France forward Marcus Thuram is following in his father’s footsteps by moving to Serie A.
Thuram signed a five-year deal with Champions League finalist Inter Milan on Saturday, completing a move back to his country of birth on the day the transfer market opened in Italy.
“I used to watch Serie A when I was a kid and I saw so many champions,” Thuram said. “Coming to Serie A for me is like coming home."
The 25-year-old Thuram joins on a free transfer after deciding not to renew his contract with Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he spent the last four seasons.
Thuram’s father, Lilian, who won the World Cup with France in 1998, played as a defender for Parma and Juventus. Thuram was born in Parma.
“The Italian league has changed a lot since my dad played," Thuram said. "But he gave me a lot of advice as a father. Namely, to play with joy and to enjoy every moment because my dream has become reality.”
Thuram came on as a substitute for France in the World Cup final defeat to Argentina last year.
Thuram has played at San Siro once before, when he made his Champions League debut against Inter in a 2-2 draw in October 2020. Thuram was stopped when going into the stadium by a steward and, not having any documents on him, he had to google himself to prove his identity.