ROME: Last season, Marcus Thuram was Serie A’s top assist man. This season, he’s in the running for the top goalscorer honor.
It’s been quite a transformation for the France international during his second year in the Italian league.
Thuram’s impact in front of the goal has been felt beyond Italy, too.
In the Champions League on Wednesday, he came off the bench to score the late winner in Inter’s 1-0 victory at Young Boys.
It was Thuram’s eighth goal in 10 matches across all competitions and his first in Europe this season to go with his seven in eight Serie A appearances.
In Serie A, only Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui has scored more — with eight.
“Goals are always important, even more so if they help the team to win,” Thuram said.
Only a couple of months into an extremely long club season that will conclude with the Club World Cup in June-July for Inter, Thuram is already more than halfway to his scoring mark of last season — which he finished with 15 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.
Thuram led Serie A with 13 assists last season but has yet to set up a goal this season — partly because strike partner Lautaro Martinez has had a slow start after leading Argentina to the Copa America trophy a couple of months after he and Thuram powered Inter to the Serie A title.
His new goal-scoring form could also be a boost for France, with which Thuram has only two goals in 27 appearances.
Family derby for Marcus, Khephren and Lilian Thuram
Up next, though, it’s “Italy’s derby” where Inter hosts rival Juventus on Sunday in a match that is also a family derby for the Thurams. Younger brother Khephren is in his first season at Juventus, where dad Lilian once starred as a defender.
Both brothers are expected to start at the San Siro.
“My dad will support the Bianconeri,” Marcus said. “Anyhow, it will still be wonderful for us all, and I won’t be angry with him.”
Inter has won five straight games
After a slower-than-expected start to its title defense, Inter has rediscovered its form with five straight wins across all competitions following a derby loss to AC Milan a month ago that served as a wake-up call.
“You don’t get five victories if the team isn’t in good shape,” coach Simone Inzaghi said. “We’re working hard. In the Champions League we have seven points after three matches and we haven’t conceded a goal.”
Juventus, meanwhile, is still struggling to find consistency under new coach Thiago Motta. The Bianconeri lost at Stuttgart 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Balotelli could be close to Serie A return
Struggling Genoa is considering signing Mario Balotelli, who is out of contract since leaving Turkish club Adana Demirsport after last season.
The 34-year-old Balotelli hasn’t played in Serie A for more than four years — since he was with hometown club Brescia in 2019-20. He last played in Italy for Monza in Serie B in 2020-21.
Marcus Thuram is transforming from an assist man to a leading goal-scorer at Inter
Marcus Thuram is transforming from an assist man to a leading goal-scorer at Inter
- It was Thuram’s eighth goal in 10 matches across all competitions and his first in Europe this season to go with his seven in eight Serie A appearances
Deals worth $8bn signed at World Defense Show 2026
- Five-day event brought together 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries and attracted 137,000 visitors
RIYADH: More than 60 military and defense deals worth SR33 billion ($8.8 billion) were signed at the third edition of the World Defense Show, which ended on Thursday in Riyadh.
The flagship defense exhibition is part of Saudi efforts to expand its military industries sector.
Organized by the General Authority for Military Industries, the five-day event brought together 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries and attracted 137,000 visitors, according to official figures announced at the closing media briefing on Thursday.
Ahmad Al-Ohali, governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, said the event reflects broader efforts to localize defense spending under Vision 2030.
“When we started in 2018, the percentage of military spending from within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was 4 percent of total spending; by the end of 2024, it jumped to 25 percent,” he said.
Al-Ohali added that number of national cadres working in the sector increased from 25,000 male and female employees in 2020 to 34,000 — a rise of 40 percent.
Beyond attendance and displays, the exhibition served as a venue for commercial and government agreements.
The number of agreements signed reached 220, including 93 government-to-government agreements and 127 partnership agreements with companies.
Al-Ohali said the deals include technology transfer and local manufacturing projects aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains.
Aerial and static displays included 63 aircraft, alongside more than 700 pieces of military equipment exhibited across indoor and outdoor platforms. Maritime and unmanned systems were also showcased through dedicated demonstration areas.
Andrew Pearcey, CEO of the World Defense Show, said that planning for the next edition had already begun.
“So, what we do is we take stock of our successes, so we’re now starting to see what worked, and we also learned that some things that didn’t work,” Pearcey told Arab News.
“Over time, one of the key things is to try and grow; the demand for this show is huge, so we want to try and accommodate that.
“So, we need to try and build more space. Then we look at ways we brought new features to this show. So, we look at the industry and the trends, and see other new features that we can bring to the show.”
The event also introduced a “Future Talent Program” during its final two days, inviting students aged 16 to university level to explore career opportunities in the defense sector.
“The future talent program is where we invite youngsters, so from 16 up to university level, to come and look at the show, understand what career opportunities there are in the defense industry, sit and do some content programs, and meet the exhibitors that want to demonstrate some of their things,” Pearcey said.
“So, we bring around 4,000 to 5,000 students to the show. So, that’s bringing that next generation through.”
